Spurs signed Michael Carrick in 2004 when he was 23 years old from West Ham United. He had already appeared in an England shirt - albeit as a substitute - and he cost the club just £3.5 million. In his time at Spurs, Carrick went from being a player with huge potential to being one of the best central midfielders in England. He was a fully-fledged international by the time his Spurs career came to a close and, understandably, he attracted attention from bigger clubs. In just less than two years at White Hart Lane, Carrick played 64 times in the Premier League - 61 from the start - and he scored twice, but his performances as a holding midfielder and his ability to pass the ball so brilliantly was what stood out. He signed for Manchester United for £18.6 million in July 2006, giving Spurs a profit of around £15 million from the fee they paid just two seasons prior.
