Andy Carroll deal 'in hands of Mike Ashley and Liverpool board'

 

Alan Pardew has revealed Newcastle's attempt to bring Andy Carroll back to Tyneside is in the hands of chairman Mike Ashley and the Liverpool board.

The England forward privately favours a move back to Newcastle, after being surprised by Liverpool's decision to cut their losses on the £35m striker.

Highest British transfer fees

Fernando Torres - £50m Liverpool to Chelsea, Jan 2011

Sergio Aguero - £38m Atletico Madrid to Manchester City, July 2011

Andy Carroll - £35m Newcastle Utd to Liverpool, Jan 2011

Robinho - £32.5m Real Madrid to Man City, Sept 2008

Andriy Shevchenko - £30.8m AC Milan to Chelsea, July 2006

Dimitar Berbatov - £30.75m Tottenham to Man Utd, Sept 2008

Rio Ferdinand - £29.1m Leeds United to Manchester United July 2002

Newcastle are expected to return with an improved loan offer for Carroll, 23, having seen an initial bid turned down.

"It will be what it will be," Pardew told the Newcastle Evening Chronicle. 

"That whole process is a little bit more involved with the chairman and the board at Liverpool.

"We've got a great team here, a great squad, and if Andy Carroll comes it'll only add to us."

Newcastle initially only offered to pay part of Carroll's £80,000-a-week wages. They also wanted to pay £13m if he then signed a permanant deal, although the Reds are understood to want at least £20m.

Liverpool's asking price is likely to put Newcastle's determination to bring Carroll back to the club to the test, with Ashley unable and unwilling to meet that figure. But there remains a strong possibility a compromise will be reached.

The Newcastle hierarchy have retained their admiration for Carroll since he left for Liverpool in 2011.

"It's simple, really. Sometimes transfers are done at corporate level. I'm slightly detached from that," Pardew added.

"It's been said that he's available, and if we're involved then we'll be involved because of the figures, not anything else, because we know he's good enough. I'm slightly detached from it."

Carroll was not with the Liverpool squad as they left for a pre-season tour of North America on Monday having been granted an extended holiday after Euro 2012. The England international is due to join up with the squad on 23 July, alongside other internationals such as captain Steven Gerrard.

Carroll struggled with Liverpool until belatedly finding both form and goals towards the end of last season.

Andy Carroll career stats

  • Newcastle (2006-11): 91 games, 33 goals
  • Preston (loan Aug 2007-08): 12 appearances, 1 goal
  • Liverpool (2011-present): 56 appearances, 11 goals
  • England (2010-present): 7 appearances, 2 goals

He headed the winner for Liverpool against Blackburn, while also scoring against Everton in a FA Cup semi-final win and the 2-1 loss to Chelsea in the final.

He scored for England at Euro 2012 in the win against Sweden, but appears to have fallen out of favour at Anfield.

Rodgers signed striker Fabio Borini from Roma this week, his first signing since taking over.

Liverpool are also monitoring Swansea midfielder Joe Allen, with Rodgers hopeful he could become available as the summer moves on.

The Liverpool manager has an agreement with his former club that he will not attempt to sign any of their players during the next 12 months. But it is understood Liverpool will be able to bid for Allen if another club has an offer accepted for the 22-year-old.

Rodgers is also planning contract talks to keep Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez at Anfield but has been noncommittal when talking about Carroll's future.

The striker helped the Magpies back into the Premier League with 17 league goals in the 2009-10 Championship season.

Carroll continued his promising form in the top flight in the following campaign and made his senior England debut under Fabio Capello in a 2-1 defeat by France at Wembley.

He scored 11 times in 19 league games before becoming the most expensive British player when ex-Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish took him to Anfield.