Handed in transfer requestNewcastle United striker Andy Carroll has been sold to Liverpool for a fee in excess of £30m.
After resisting a number of offers to sell the striker who was apparently not for sale, it seems that Andy Carroll eventually handed in a transfer request, forcing the club to reluctantly accept Liverpool’s offer.
The move begs many questions, not least as to who we’re going to replace him with. Maybe Newcastle’s recent form without him has persuaded the Toon manadrins that the club can see out the season without a replacement striker.
If, as reported, Carroll handed in a transfer request then it became much harder for the club to hold onto him.
What's he thinking?The previously delayed press conference with Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew has now been cancelled.
So why has the press conference been cancelled? Here are four of my guesses:
Reason 1: Pardew may have wanted to reiterate his desire to hold onto Andy Carroll but, with offers for the player nudging up in value, Ashley may have had a change of heart about selling him, so it was felt prudent to cancel the press conference and see what the club gets offered for Carroll next.
Reason 2: Ashley may have no intention of selling Carroll but wanted to spare Alan Pardew the questions which would inevitably be thrown his way about it at the press conference.
Reason 3: the press conference was to announce that Stephen Ireland has been brought in from Aston Villa but either there’s some problem or delay with that or it is felt that all the Andy Carroll stuff would overshadow it.
Reason 4: something else altogether, possibly to do with penguins. (more…)
Press conference: 15:30Today’s press conference with Alan Pardew has been moved back from 2PM to 3:30PM, fuelling speculation that it may contain significant announcements about transfers in relation to Newcastle United.
Word on the street has it that Newcastle have turned down a £30m offer for Andy Carroll from Liverpool. This is to be expected as the club has insisted that Andy Carroll is not for sale many times in recent weeks.
Given some of the unpredictable actions of Ashley in the past, it’s understandable that people think he might change his mind and sell Carroll for a high enough offer, so there’s bound to be concern that today’s delayed press conference is something to do with this.
However, I would venture to suggest that the delay is more likely to allow a little extra time to plan an announcement about Stephen Ireland arriving from Aston Villa.
Or the press conference could have been delayed for any number of other reasons.
Typically, minutes after posting this article the press conference is cancelled!
Liverpool interest now?So, with mere hours to go in this January’s transfer window will there any further developments with regard to Newcastle?
We’ve all heard/read/been bored half to death by articles stating Carroll wanted by Spurs/Chelsea/Liverpool (insert name) and that he’s subject to offers from £15m-£40, currently; Spurs £23/25m dependant on who you believe and now Liverpool for £30m.
Ho hum, maybe it’s been a blessing in disguise that Andy has been conveniently ‘injured’ during this window?
Also, we’ve started to hear stories that Manchester United want Jose Enrique for a reported £8m, who knows?
In the meantime Barton has been courted by West Ham and/or others. While Xisco, apparently, is ‘nailed on’ for Coruna.
So, have we made any offers for players coming in?
Ireland from Villa is a ‘done deal’, so they say. Whether there’s any truth in that, time will tell. (more…)
Most likely rumour?It’s the day before the transfer window closes and it’s a Sunday, which means it’s double trouble from the rumour mill at Newcastle United.
The first unsubstantiated rumour of the day is that, after having their ‘paltry’ £23m-£25m bid for Andy Carroll rejected, Spurs have been told by Newcastle that they must bid £30m to get the player. I find it hard to believe that Spurs have been told they must bid £30m or that they’d get Andy Carroll even if they did bid £30m.
Andy Carroll is of course for sale, despite insistence by the club heirarchy that he isn’t. Every player has some price which, if offered, would see him sold. But I think it’s the case that Andy Carroll isn’t for sale at any price that would be reasonably offered by a club this January.
The second unsubstantiated rumour of the day is that Newcastle are trying to sign Coventry keeper Keiren Westwood in a £500,000 deal. Westwood does have a good record, picking up various Player of the Season awards, but what about Tim Krul? Would we be looking at Westwood as our number two keeper ahead of Krul or our number three keeper behind him? And would Westwood move if it was the latter? (more…)
