Carrick: Spurs reveal transfer fee
United are expected to complete the signing of Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Michael Carrick today, following the player's medical and agreement of personal terms.

The transfer fee for the classy 25-year-old, as announced on Tottenham's official website this morning, could reach £18.6million. His acquisition will give an extra dimension and added creativity to a United midfield that's already burgeoning with talent.

Carrick began his career with Wallsend Boys Club – the same club that produced Alan Shearer and Peter Beardsley – before beginning his professional career at West Ham’s prestigious youth academy in 1998. Alongside Joe Cole, Carrick played a starring role in the 9-0 demolition of Coventry City in the 1999 FA Youth Cup final, contributing two goals of his own.

In the 1999/2000 campaign Carrick was loaned out to Swindon Town and the following season saw him loaned out again, this time to Birmingham City. His exploits for the Blues during 2000/01 earned him a PFA Young Player of the Season nomination, although he eventually lost out to Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard.

Carrick spent much of 2002/03 sidelined with injury before West Ham were relegated at the end of the season. Rather than join the exodus that accounted for team-mates Joe Cole, Fredi Kanoute and Jermain Defoe, Carrick stayed with West Ham during their first season back in Division One, where they narrowly missed out on a return to the Premiership in the play off