Transfer news round-up: Liverpool striker Andy Carroll has joined West Ham on a season-long loan just 18 months after a €41 million move to Anfield from Newcastle United. The Hammers have long been chasing Carroll and earlier in the summer were understood to have failed in bids for the England international.
Manager Sam Allardyce has always remained hopeful of signing the powerful striker, despite seemingly conceding defeat earlier today.
Carroll was linked with a return to Newcastle but it is understood West Ham are prepared to pay all of his €100,000 per week wages.
The 23-year-old was previously thought to have turned down a move to Upton Park because he only wanted to play for a club who are in Europe.
Rodgers had last week also stated he would "need to be a nutcase" to send Carroll out on loan and was instead only thought to want to sell on a permanent basis.
Liverpool are looking to raise funds for further signings before Friday's transfer deadline. They have been linked with Arsenal's Theo Walcott, Fulham's Clint Dempsey and Chelsea's Daniel Sturridge.
Carroll told West Ham's official website, www.whufc.com: "It's great to be here at West Ham and all signed up - I just can't wait to get started now. I want to be playing games and obviously hoping to score some goals. I know the manager well and some of the lads, so it is nice for me to come to a place where I know people.
"I'm hoping to add a lot of goals and create a few chances. I know Sam from Newcastle and he was a massive reason for me coming. When I worked with him at Newcastle it was great so it was a no-brainer really."
Allardyce added: "I think for all parties this is a great signing. Andy is an all-round footballer, but because he is 6ft 3in and one of his strengths is his aerial power, everybody dismisses the ability he possesses on the floor. Hopefully he can score goals for us and we will be in a very good position at the end of the year in the Barclays Premier League."
Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatovunderwent having a medical at Fulham this afternoon. The former Bulgarian international was expected to move to Fiorentina but the Serie A team said he failed to turn up for a meeting in Italy yesterday.
Berbatov played under Martin Jol when the Dutchman was in charge of Tottenham Hotspur. The forward left White Hart Lane for Old Trafford in 2008. The 31-year-old struggled to hold down a place in the United first team last season and seemed set for a move to Fiorentina.
"The player embarked in the company of his agent and with tickets paid by Fiorentina on a direct flight to Florence," the Italian club said. "But the player never arrived."
Berbatov's former strike partner at Spurs Jermain Defoehas signed a new contract at White Hart Lane, following speculation linking him with a move to QPR earlier in the week.
Defoe announced the deal on Twitter, saying: "Fantastic week signed my new contract at spurs & meeting up with England on Monday for 2 important games."
Elsewhere, Swansea have agreed a fee with Manchester City for the sale of winger Scott Sinclair. The 23-year-old has made it clear he does not wish to sign a new deal at the Liberty Stadium, but Swansea rejected a €7.5 million offer from Premier League champions City on Tuesday.
However, a restructured offer with add-ons that could see the fee rise to over €10 million has now been accepted, and Sinclair is currently holding talks over personal terms. With Sinclair's departure now imminent, manager Michael Laudrup is set to bolster his wide options after agreeing a fee to sign Valencia's Spain international Pablo Hernandez.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is confident Theo Walcott"loves the club" and is "not obsessed by money" as negotiations continue over the England international's future. Earlier this week, the forward had rejected a contract extension at the Emirates Stadium after entering the final year of his existing deal.
The development sparked speculation Walcott, who is rumoured to want €95,000-a-week in wages, could be sold to Liverpool or Manchester City before tomorrow's transfer deadline. But a short-term agreement is understood to be in place which will ensure the former Southampton player will not leave in the current window and Wenger remains relaxed.
The Gunners boss said at a press conference ahead of Sunday's trip to Liverpool: "Theo has one year to go. We want to extend his contract. I think Theo loves the club. He is not obsessed by money, there is just a little difference [in the negotiations]."
QPR's bid to bring Real Madrid's Esteban Graneroto Loftus Road edged a step closer today after they agreed a fee for the midfielder with the Spanish champions.
Acquiring Granero would be a huge coup for the west Londoners, who have been the busiest of all the Premier League clubs in the summer window.
The 25-year-old has impressed in the few chances he has had at the Bernabeu after moving from Getafe in July 2009. The deal to sign Granero is subject to the player agreeing personal terms and passing a medical.
Should he do so, then he will join the likes of goalkeeper Julio Cesar, midfielder Park Ji-sung and winger Junior Hoilett in signing for Mark Hughes' men since the end of last season.
