Sporting Life

Deadline day update: Newcastle bring former striker Andy Carroll back to the club as a free agent

By Sporting Life
Football
Thu August 08, 2019 · 6y ago

Newcastle have sprung a huge transfer deadline day surprise by bringing former striker Andy Carroll back to the club as a free agent.

The 30-year-old was a free agent after being released by West Ham at the end of last season, but has managed to find his way home to Newcastle eight years after leaving for Liverpool.

Carroll has been plagued by injuries throughout his career and the Magpies examined his medical records closely as they weighed up their options.

Carroll underwent ankle surgery in February and has not played since, and his acquisition represents something of a gamble, but the club will hope he gives the squad and the fans a pre-season lift.

If he is able to return to anything like the form which saw him emerge from the ranks at St James' Park as a teenager before earning a £35million move to Liverpool in January 2011, it might just prove to be a gamble worth taking.

Carroll's exit prompted an outcry from fans who had hoped the club would build a team around the striker, although his problems since have somewhat mitigated the disappointment of his loss.

However, with record summer signing Joelinton untested in the Premier League, the addition of an experienced frontman is an attractive proposition as head coach Steve Bruce looks to replace the goals lost by the exits of Salomon Rondon and Ayoze Perez.

Krafth signs for Magpies

One signing Bruce has definitely completed is his fourth summer signing after landing Sweden international full-back Emil Krafth from French side Amiens.

The 25-year-old has signed an initial four-year deal after the two clubs agreed a fee understood to be in the region of £5million.

The defender told NUFC TV: "It feels really good. It's been a busy couple of days, but finally I'm here. I'm very happy to sign for Newcastle and I can't wait to start training with the guys.

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"When a Premier League team wants to sign you, of course you are happy. I know Newcastle is a big club, so I'm very happy to sign here and to be here right now."

Krafth follows Joelinton, Allan Saint-Maximin and Jetro Willems to Tyneside this summer as Bruce attempts to rebuild the squad he inherited from predecessor Rafael Benitez amid a backlash from fans planning to boycott Sunday's opening fixture against Arsenal.

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