Steve Bruce informs Andy Carroll his West Brom career is over
Andy Carroll’s West Brom career is “effectively over” as the striker is set to be released at the end of the season, The Athletic reports.
The fan-favourite has been informed by manager Steve Bruce that he will not be kept on for next season, and is will miss the final two games of the season to protect his fitness.
The former West Ham and Newcastle forward was signed on a free transfer following the injury to Daryl Dike in January and scored three times in 15 games.
Steve Madeley writes in The Athletic that after signing, Carroll “went on to become a favourite with fans thanks to his muscular displays in an underperforming team.”
“Bruce, who previously managed Carroll at Newcastle before joining Albion to replace [Valerien] Ismael, has decided to pursue alternative targets in the summer transfer window.
“He informed Carroll of his decision this afternoon and the pair decided that Carroll would not be involved in the final two games of the campaign to protect his fitness ahead of a summer in which Carroll will look for a new club.”
Surprise
The former England striker doesn’t have the mobility he once did, but emerged as one of the bright spots of an increasingly depressing season.
But he apparently doesn’t suit Bruce’s planned style for the club, and would be due a wage increase having proved his fitness, according to Madeley, which the club are not in a position to afford.
Hot on the heels of the news that one of the leading performers this year, Matt Clarke, may be due to leave at the end of this loan, there is not a very encouraging mood coming out of the Hawthorns currently.
The idea that Bruce wants to implement a possession-based playing style with quick forwards operating around a fit again Dike sounds like a nice idea, but only if it actually happens.
The logic of Carroll not fitting into such a system does work, but he is a valuable plan B, and one of the few to come out of this season leaving a positive impression on the fans.
It puts a lot of pressure on the American winter signing Dike to come back from his knee injury in good form, and Bruce’s plans will likely need to bear fruit quickly next season as there is little reason for confidence in such an overhaul right now.
In other West Brom news, there is some positive news on the injury recovery for the main man Dike.
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