West Ham’s medical team expect injured striker Andy Carroll to be back in action before Christmas, according to insider website Claret and Hugh.
The Hammers insider outlet, which is a reliable source for exclusive club information, report that Carroll is expected to be able to make a few appearances before January, barring any setbacks, a development which would allow the club to sell him on in the transfer window.
Claret and Hugh claim that Carroll is set to be the first player with a long-term injury to return to action, with the club yet to put a timetable on defender Winston Reid’s return.
Carroll’s £90,000-a-week contract [Spotrac] at West Ham expires next summer.
OPINION
A return before Christmas for Carroll would be ideal for the Hammers as they look to recoup some of their hefty investment in the big striker. Carroll has unfortunately spent much of his time at the club on the treatment table since a £15million move from Liverpool in 2013, and his large wage packet mean that the club have spent a lot of money on him during his time in east London. That investment has not really worked out as planned, with Carroll’s well-documented injury issues rearing their head time and time again, and they will likely look to offload him during the January window before his contract runs out next summer. Hopefully the striker can help the club on the pitch in some capacity before that exit inevitably happens, although he may find it hard to get in the side by that point in the season. It is also important that the club do not get too far ahead of themselves in Carroll’s recovery, with the possibility of another setback occurring being pretty high.
