BRENDAN RODGERS has accused Newcastle United of taking liberties by attempting to re-sign Andy Carroll on loan and claimed he would have to be “a nutcase” to offload the England international given the current paucity of Liverpool’s attack.

The Liverpool manager is prepared to sell the most expensive English footballer in history to raise transfer funds but has not received a suitable offer for the 23-year-old.

Newcastle want Carroll on loan with a view to a permanent £12 million (€15 million) transfer – providing Liverpool pay half his €100,000 weekly wage – but Rodgers says they are the last club he would accept a cut-price deal from.

“There is absolutely no chance [of a loan deal] – and certainly not Newcastle,” the Liverpool manager said.

“Newcastle got £35 million for this player last year. To even consider wanting to take him on loan is a liberty really. We have got a very small squad as it is. We have lost a lot of players this summer and I have not replaced them, as of yet.

“That is the reality of where we are. I need a minimum of three strikers. Once the window shuts, that it is it until January. I have got [Luis] Suarez, Fabio Borini and Andy Carroll. I would need to be a nutcase to even consider at this moment to let Carroll go out, unless there are other solutions for that.”

Liverpool appear to have priced Manchester City out of a deal for Daniel Agger, who is suspended for Sunday’s home game against the Premier League champions and therefore expected to start against Hearts in the Europa League play-off tonight.

“I can’t see anything at this stage to be honest. He is not a player that I want to lose,” Rodgers added. “ Secondly he doesn’t want to go.”