Soccer:Newcastle boss Alan Pardew has warned Liverpool counterpart Brendan Rodgers he will have to face a substantial loss if he wants to move striker Andy Carroll on. The 23-year-old England international's future has been a topic for debate ever since new Reds manager Rodgers hinted that he may not be part of his plans.
The Magpies to launch a bid to bring him back to Tyneside, initially on loan, and then permanently for significantly lower than the €41 million for which they sold him.
Liverpool have since insisted Carroll will not be allowed to go out on loan and are understood to be holding out for around €25.5 million with West Ham and Fulham also having been linked with the Gateshead-born frontman.
However, Pardew told BBC Radio Newcastle: “\[Reading chairman] John Madejski used to say to me about certain players, ‘Just wipe your nose and move on’, and I think \[Liverpool] are going to have to do that with Andy.
“I think it was obvious as soon as Brendan went into Liverpool that Andy’s time was going to have to be somewhere else. I think it’s quite right we’re involved in that. Whether he comes here, is something that I will take or I will leave. It’s a lot of money for Mike \[Ashley, Newcastle owner], although we’ll obviously be getting a big upside in terms of what we sold him for, and we’ve got three great strikers here already. But of course as the manager, I want the best players I can get.”
Part of the fee Newcastle received for Carroll was used to replace him with Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse, who scored 29 goals between them last season, while Shola Ameobi also played an important part in the club’s fifth-placed Barclays Premier League finish.
They have been linked with a series of striking targets this summer including Carroll, Luuk de Jong and Loic Remy, but the position is complicated by a release-clause in Ba’s contract.
Rodgers is planning to hold further talks with Carroll and has insisted the England striker has been the subject of "unfair criticism", describing the 23-year-old as a "terrific talent".
Rodgers addded: "I had a brief chat with all the lads and over the next couple of weeks I'll be able to speak to them with more confidence and on a one-to-one basis. There is no doubt he is a terrific talent. There has been a lot of unfair criticism aimed towards Andy. He is a player who can play in a number of styles and it was a wee bit unfair on him (for people) to say he couldn't fit into the way I would want to play.
"For me, your game is based on your players, the players you have. I am here to win games. We've got a number of very, very talented players in the group, of which Andy is one."
Swanseahave tonight insisted they are disappointed with Liverpool's pursuit of midfielder Joe Allen. Rodgers, who made the switch from the Liberty Stadium to Anfield to replace Kenny Dalglish this summer, confirmed his interest in the Wales international last week.
Allen signed a four-year deal with Swansea last year but Rodgers is keen to bring him to the north-west. And the south Wales club are disappointed, claiming Liverpool agreed not to make approaches for Swans players until next year.
A club spokesman said: “Swansea can confirm that Liverpool have expressed an interest in Joe Allen, despite a written agreement with Liverpool not to approach any players within the 12-month period of former manager Brendan Rodgers leaving for Anfield.”
The spokesman continued on www.swanseacity.net: “There has also been interest from other clubs regarding his possible availability and the club is due to speak to Joe, as originally planned, about the situation when he returns from GB (Olympic) duty.
“The club is not prepared to release any details on whether any formal bids have been made at this stage or details of Joe’s contract, which are private and confidential.
“The club is extremely disappointed that speculation regarding certain aspects of his contract have been released to the media by parties outside the club.”
