Andy Carroll’s record-breaking transfer to Liverpool may have been one of the most surprising moves in Premier League history, but the striker has admitted he was reluctant to leave Newcastle at the time.
The former England international made his Newcastle debut at 17 in 2006, catching attention with his raw talent and signature ponytail.
Over time, Carroll became a key figure for the Magpies, scoring 17 goals in 39 games to lead them back to the Premier League after relegation.
Handed the iconic number nine shirt, Carroll dazzled in the 2010-11 season, netting 11 goals in 19 Premier League games.
His form attracted interest from top clubs, and during a frantic January transfer window, Liverpool swooped in with a £35m offer after selling Fernando Torres to Chelsea.
On deadline day, Carroll was signed alongside Luis Suárez, who arrived from Ajax for £22.7m. While Suárez went on to become a Liverpool legend, Carroll struggled, scoring just 11 goals in 58 appearances over two seasons. He later moved to West Ham on loan in 2012 before making the deal permanent for £15m.
Carroll’s career since has seen him return to Newcastle and have spells at West Brom, Reading, and Amiens. Now playing for Bordeaux in the French fourth tier, the striker reflected on his whirlwind move to Liverpool, telling Daily Mail:
“I’d just bought my dream house in Newcastle and was about to sign a new contract. Then suddenly, it’s gone. I didn’t really want to leave. I didn’t even understand what was happening.”
Carroll recounted the chaos of deadline day, recalling how news broke of a £30m bid from Tottenham being rejected before Liverpool’s £35m offer was accepted.
“The owner told me, ‘You’re gone.’ There was media everywhere, so I had to leave in Kevin Nolan’s car and hide at his place.
Then I got a call saying, ‘The helicopter’s here.’ I didn’t even have clothes or a bag. I’d just spent a week fixing up my house—I never even got to live in it.”
In an interview with L’Equipe, Carroll revealed he hoped an injury would cause him to fail his medical and cancel the transfer. “I didn’t want to leave. I was injured, and I remember thinking, ‘I hope I fail the medical.’”
Despite his struggles at Liverpool and his initial unwillingness to leave Newcastle, Carroll holds no regrets. Speaking to The Athletic, he said: “Would I rather have stayed at Newcastle? Of course—it’s my hometown club. But I don’t regret going to Liverpool. It shaped me, made me stronger, and I wouldn’t change a thing.”