Thursday 30 August 2012

Liverpool’s Carroll joins West Ham on loan

Liverpool striker Andy
Carroll ended months
of speculation over his
future by joining West
Ham on a season-long
loan on Thursday.
Carroll’s future at
Anfield has been in
doubt since Liverpool
manager Brendan
Rodgers admitted the
England forward might
be an awkward fit for
the smooth passing
style he wants the
Reds to use.
West Ham and Carroll’s
former club Newcastle
both made approaches
for the 23-year-old
several weeks ago and,
after Liverpool failed to
secure a better offer, it
is the Hammers who
have won the race for
his signature.
The deal is likely to
bring an end to
Carroll’s disappointing
spell with Liverpool as
West Ham have agreed
an option to sign him
on a permanent basis
for an undisclosed fee
at the end of this
season.
It is a major coup for
newly-promoted West
Ham and boss Sam
Allardyce, who briefly
worked with Carroll at
Newcastle, and the
forward could make his
debut in Saturday’s
Premier League clash
against Fulham at
Upton Park.
“It’s great to be here at
West Ham and all
signed up. I just can’t
wait to get started
now,” Carroll told the
east London club’s
website.
“I want to be playing
games and obviously
hoping to score some
goals. I know the
manager well and
some of the lads, so it
is nice for me to come
to a place where I
know people.
“I’m hoping to add a
lot of goals and create
a few chances. I know
Sam from Newcastle
and he was a massive
reason for me coming.
When I worked with
him at Newcastle it
was great so it was a
no-brainer really.”
Liverpool’s then
manager Kenny
Dalglish paid a club
record £35 million to
sign Carroll from
Newcastle in January
2011 as a replacement
for Fernando Torres
after the Spaniard
joined Chelsea.
After scoring only 11
goals in 58
appearances, Carroll
has been deemed
surplus to
requirements just 18
months later and
Allardyce hopes to
revitalise the striker’s
career at Upton Park.
“I think for all parties
this is a great signing.
Andy is an all-round
footballer, but because
he is tall and one of his
strengths is his aerial
power, everybody
dismisses the ability he
possesses on the floor,”
Allardyce said.
“Hopefully he can score
goals for us and we
will be in a very good
position at the end of
the year in the Premier
League.”

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