Liverpool look set to allow Andy Carroll to join West Ham in a permanent deal worth £15million and rising depending on appearances and achievements.

The big striker had been on-loan at the Boleyn Ground last season and made a favourable impression in the East End.

Waste

Andy Carroll joined Liverpool in January 2011 from Newcastle for the massive fee of £35million, a record fee for a British player. His arrival at Anfield was met with a mixture of jubilance and trepidation.

A number of fans had their concerns that the fee was too much, but at the time, Carroll was one of the brightest young striking talents in the Premier League. His Liverpool career was a story of missed opportunities, literally at times.

He struggled to adapt to life at Liverpool and was accused of being in poor condition for a footballer. His scoring record of six goals in 44 appearances tells its own story. Not a good record for a striker so highly-rated.

Talented

There is no doubt that Andy Carroll has the talent to be a very good player. He is a massive danger to opposition defences and can cause mayhem for the teams he comes up-against. When he is on his game then he is almost unplayable.

Injuries

At West Ham, he has shown in flashes what he is about, but injuries have hampered his spell in the East End. The striker has picked up an injury recently that will rule him out of England duty for the up-coming games and up to six weeks.

Finalised

With Carroll not on international duty, maybe he will have more time to discuss his future. There has been speculation that Newcastle could make a bid to take him back to St James, but that has been rubbished by the Magpies themselves. A move to West Ham looks far more likely for the enigmatic Carroll.

It looks like Andy Carroll will be wearing a West Ham shirt next season. Will Liverpool live to regret selling the towering centre-forward?