Michael Carrick has confessed that Morgan Rogers' meteoric rise since leaving Middlesbrough has exceeded even his own expectations. The Manchester United manager, who sold Rogers to Aston Villa for £15 million in 2023, will face his former protégé on Sunday at Old Trafford.
Carrick initially signed Rogers from Manchester City for £2 million but sanctioned his sale just a year later. Since then, the winger has been named Aston Villa's Player of the Year, earned 12 England caps, and even kept Jude Bellingham out of the starting lineup. 'To see him go on and have such an impact would be probably more than I would have expected,' Carrick admitted.
Despite the surprise, Carrick praised Rogers' attributes, noting his dribbling, two-footedness, and athleticism. 'You could always see what he was possibly going to be capable of,' he said, adding that he is delighted for the player personally, though facing him will be a different challenge.
In team news, Carrick confirmed that Mason Mount is back in contention after a spell on the sidelines, though Lisandro Martinez and Matthijs de Ligt remain unavailable. 'Mason's back with the group, which is fantastic,' Carrick said, though he cautioned that Mount is not yet fully match fit.
