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Carroll on the back-burner

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Image for Carroll on the back-burner

Any potential Newcastle move for free-agent forward Andy Carroll is very much on the “back burner,” according to journalist Lee Ryder.

The Chronicle writer revealed that the Magpies aren’t rushing to sign the former West Ham striker, with the club more interested in cash deals with the transfer market entering the final two weeks.

Ryder wrote on the Chronicle’s live Q&A blog: (01/08 13:28 pm) “The deal for Carroll is one that could be deemed as on the back burner. The striker is interested on a free transfer move but Newcastle aren’t in a rush to sign him because they are currently working on cash deals.”

“Carroll can be done later and he’s still not fully fit in terms of being ready to play. This could even be a deal that is done once the window is shut. But Bruce is very much interested IF we can see a fit Carroll emerge,” Ryder added.

Newcastle had been reported by the Daily Star to be readying a pay-as-you-play deal for the 30-year-old, with the forward himself being reported by the Chronicle to be keen on a return to St James’ Park after another injury-plagued season.

OPINION

This comes as no real surprise, with surely the majority of Newcastle’s other targets taking centre stage for the remaining two weeks. Carroll is available after the end of the transfer window with him being a free-agent and the England international could be in place for a move just in case Steve Bruce fails to attract other options to St James’ Park this month. The 30-year-old is definitely not the answer to Bruce’s potential problems in the North East – with other strikers such as Yoshinori Muto and Dwight Gayle surely more capable of providing more goals. Since the start of 2018, the striker has missed 37 games and 335 days in total [Source: Transfermarkt] – a couple of stats that prove is he not capable of performing to the level he did when at Newcastle earlier in his career. With Joelinton having opened his account, Carroll’s playing time would be limited, to say the least, and Bruce must look elsewhere, mainly focusing his attention on a potential deal for Nice forward Allan Saint-Maximin in the next couple of weeks.

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