Carroll bid fails, say reports

It is being reported this morning that West Ham have failed with an audacious bid to land Liverpool striker Andy Carroll on loan.

The 23-year-old striker was the subject of a loan bid from West Ham last week - am offer that was reported to have been accepted by the Reds yesterday.

However reports this morning suggest that the England striker, who moved to Anfield just 18 months ago for a British record fee of £35million has rejected the opportunity to move to east London.

An unnamed club source told ESPN: "Sadly we have a deal in place with Liverpool, but the player does not want to come permanently at this time."

West Ham are understood to have offered to pay Carroll's full salary, estimated to be approximately £80,000 per week - just weeks after the club pleaded poverty after agreeing to honour a pledge made to supporters by the previous administration regarding a 20 per cent season ticket discount.

Meanwhile Carroll's agent, Mark Curtis, also represents West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce plus team captain Kevin Nolan - a close personal friend of the England international.

This has led some supporters to question the validity of the bid this morning, given that Carroll's apparent reluctance to join West Ham would almost certainly have been known by at least one of the above parties prior to a bid being lodged.