Transfer Rumours

Newcastle United in ‘shock move’ for Andy Carroll

Newcastle are making a ‘shock move’ for Andy Carroll according to media reports in recent days.

Rafa Benitez sees the West Ham striker as ideal to give his team that extra quality as they return to the Premier League…or so the story goes.

The reality is of course, that the only ‘shock’ thing about this story, is that it would be a massive shock if Newcastle weren’t linked with Andy Carroll.

In pretty much every transfer window since he flew away from Tyneside six and a half years ago, there have been media exclusives that the striker is on his way back to St James Park.

The truth of course is that there must be zero interest for Rafa in signing the former Newcastle striker.

A quick look at his stats will tell you that, with the usual refrain being ‘if only he could stay fit…’.

Bottom line is that in six and a half seasons after Newcastle sold him for £35m, Andy Carroll has only scored 36 Premier League goals – in his final 15 months at NUFC he scored 28 league goals (Championship & Premier League).

To get those 36 goals, Carroll has only managed to start exactly 100 league matches, with another 42 appearances off the bench.

So Carroll’s post-Newcastle career sees him averaging around 15 league starts per season and a shade under six goals each year.

This season he once again has flattered to deceive, scoring some very good PL goals and managing seven in 15 starts (plus three off the bench) but injuries are once again making him into a liability overall.

To sum it up, Andy Carroll is once again out injured as this current season comes to an end (he has two years left on his contract after signing a six year deal in 2013).

Just have a look at this injury record (dates are when first out with that particular injury) in just the last three years.

So just as it is a foregone conclusion that we will be linked with Andy Carroll this summer, you can take it just as much for granted that we won’t be seeing him back in a Newcastle shirt.

Andy Carroll’s injuries in past three years:

Groin Strain (April 2017)

Groin Strain (February 2017)

Groin/Pelvis Injury (January 2017)

Neck Injury (January 2017)

Knee Injury (August 2017)

Groin Strain (February 2016)

Hamstring (January 2016)

Thigh Muscle Strain (December 2015)

Ankle/Foot Injury (September 2015)

MCL Knee Ligament Injury (February 2015)

Knee Injury (January 2015)

Ankle Ligaments (July 2014)

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