West Ham reveal plans to sign new striker following Andy Carroll injury

The club's record signing could be out for as much as four months

Mark Bryans
Friday 25 July 2014 11:46 BST
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Andy Carroll has suffered an ankle injury that could keep him out of action for up to 16 weeks
Andy Carroll has suffered an ankle injury that could keep him out of action for up to 16 weeks

West Ham co-chairman David Sullivan has confirmed the club are in the hunt for at least one new striker having lost Andy Carroll to injury.

Club-record signing Carroll could miss up to four months after undergoing surgery on an ankle injury, having missed a similar period at the start of last season.

Hammers' boss Sam Allardyce has already made moves to increase his attacking options with Mauro Zarate signed and Enner Valencia only needing a work permit to complete a move to Upton Park.

But, with Carroll crocked once again, Sullivan insists adding even more fire-power to their front line is now a priority.

"We have to bring in another striker and we're working on it now to buy one, or loan one, or both," he told talkSPORT.

"You can never have enough strikers and really with Andy gone we haven't got enough. It was desperate last year... We probably made a mistake by putting all our eggs in one basket.

"We can't start the season with the strikeforce we've got. I don't think it's good enough, there's not enough height in it and if we get another injury, in terms of quantity, it's insufficient, so we have to sign at least one more player."

The record fee for Carroll meant there was little left in the coffers for Allardyce, who ended up re-signing Carlton Cole after initially deciding not to offer the England international a new deal.

Andy Carroll cost West Ham £15m

A heel injury proved to be much more serious than West Ham's medical team had originally diagnosed ahead of Carroll's move from Liverpool - with the 25-year-old having made just 16 appearances for the club since.

"Had we known what we know now we wouldn't have signed the player," Sullivan said.

"But it's easy to be wise after the event. We were assured by our physio - who has since left the club - that the player would be available for the start of the season.

"He wasn't available until January or February. A mistake was made and we were given the wrong information. We based our decision and our purchase of the player on what the medical department told us.

"We've changed everything in that department as a result of that. At the same time on his day he is a devastating and fantastic player, we've just got to get him back to his best."

Carroll had initially only been ruled out of the club's two friendlies in New Zealand before the issue was fully understood, with the former Newcastle forward tweeting that he was due to undergo surgery on Friday.

"Going under the knife tomorrow morning and absolutely devastated to be missing the start of the season!," he tweeted on Thursday evening.

The news will come as a major blow to Allardyce as he looks to improve on the 13th-place Barclays Premier League finish in the last campaign.

PA

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