View: Signing £75k p/w PL star open to West Brom move is a huge risk
Out-of-favour Newcastle United striker Andy Carroll is reportedly open to a move to join West Brom next month, but it would represent a huge risk for the Baggies.
According to a report from Birmingham Live, the former England international is not ruling out a move away from St James’ Park if regular game time is on offer elsewhere.
Carroll made an emotional return to Newcastle back in 2019 but has since fallen out of favour.
Regular game time has been hard to come and he now has both Joelinton and Callum Wilson ahead of him in the pecking order.
Sam Allardyce will no doubt be looking to add goals to his squad in the new year, with the Baggies among the lowest goal scorers in the Premier League.
Carroll would offer a tremendous amount of quality, there is no denying that, but question marks will remain about his availability.
In 237 Premier League appearances, he has scored 53 times and registered 30 assists along the way during spells with West Ham, Liverpool and Newcastle.
However, this season alone he has made just seven appearances for Newcastle in the Premier League, five of which have come from the bench.
The striker’s injury record should be a huge concern for Allardyce, who will need reliable options between now and the end of the season.
As per Transfermarkt, Carroll has been sidelined for a total 350 days since the start of the 2018/19 season.
During that time he has missed 38 games for both West Ham and Newcastle.
Earning a reported £75,000 a week, West Brom cannot afford to be taking chances on a striker they may not be able to start consistently as they battle to avoid relegation.
Slaven Bilic was previously working under a small transfer budget at the Hawthorns, so it remains to be seen what kind of money is made available to Big Sam.
If Carroll, who is unlikely to be cheap, remains the top target for the Baggies, it is simply a risk that might be too big to take.
In other West Brom news, Liverpool could be handed a major fitness boost ahead of the game against West Brom
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