Will Carroll be staying at United?
ANDY Carroll will discover by mid-May whether he will get his contract at Newcastle United extended for the 2021/22 season.
The former England international, now 32, is keen to stay on Tyneside but could have work to do between now and then to earn a fresh deal.
Despite reservations from some observers that signing Carroll on a free transfer from West Ham in 2019 was a risk, Carroll has made 39 appearances in the last two seasons. Carroll has suffered some minor injuries in the last couple of years but this season he has only reported himself as unavailable once with a calf injury against Crystal Palace in November.
His absence in a clutch of games has been based on non-selection by head coach Steve Bruce, much to the frustration of Carroll at times. Indeed, in 2021, Carroll has been an unused sub on five occasions despite being fully fit and raring to go.
Carroll posted a cryptic picture of himself on Instagram this week on the back of a 30-second cameo appearance against West Brom on Sunday in the 0-0 draw, with many fans coming to the conclusion it was a plea to start games in the absence of Callum Wilson.
Carroll has scored just once this season against Leicester City when he bagged a late consolation but barely even celebrated the goal.
Chronicle Live understands that Carroll will be told by the middle of May whether he has a future on Tyneside beyond this season.
The pre-arranged date in the diary for Toon chiefs actually works for both parties as Newcastle will have a clearer idea of what division they will be playing in next season.
The Teams-raised striker must now wait to see if he makes the team sheet for Friday’s clash with Villa. Those close to him say he has never felt stronger and would love to lead the line against Villa, the side he once scored a Premier League hat-trick against in his younger days in a 6-0 demolition on Tyneside.
When asked about his late cameo at the Hawthorns, Carroll said: “If we had played Andy and Dwight, then we’d have to change the whole set-up, and I don’t think we had time to do that. We’re getting used to playing in a certain way, it’s the way I want to play, but unfortunately, having come up with the system, we’ve been struck down by the loss of Miguel Almiron, Callum and Allan Saint-Maximin.
“It’s been very difficult to try to replace them.”
Carroll stated his anger at being left out of the starting line-up in a recent club programme publication, he said to the Magpies’ own media team: “It is also frustrating sitting on the bench and can’t do anything to change it, or coming on in the last 10 minutes.
“If you’re a player that just accepts being on the bench and accepts not coming on, what’s the point of being a footballer?
“Every single time when I don’t come on the pitch or don’t start, I’m angry, you know, I’m angry. “Even if it’s the right decision. “When I do come on for the last 10 minutes I try and smash a couple of people around a bit.
“You come off after a game, you’re on the way home, sitting in bed, and I can’t sleep.
“My head’s going over it all and I’m sitting thinking: “If only this happened. I’m trying to think and I can’t sleep. It wears you out, it tires you out.”