Watmore will have wanted the security of a longer deal to look after his family for life, which as said given his injury and covid causing uncertainty is understandable. More than this, he's the kind of guy who'd go mad just tossing it off on the bench (are you listening Rudy?) he's an all or nothing player who just wants to play and give it his all. There's no way we'd have been able to promise that playing time in all honesty, he'd have known that, plus I can't see Carrick being the kind of bloke to lie to his face.
It's very sad to see him go, but what he needed after the service he's given to the Boro had to be given importance, it's just plain respectful.