London: Liverpool took a huge financial hit on Andy Carroll on Wednesday by selling the towering England striker to fellow Premier League side West Ham, ending his disappointing 2 ½-year spell at Anfield.
Carroll joined Liverpool from Newcastle on deadline day in January 2011 for a staggering 35 million pounds (then $56 million), making him Britain's most expensive footballer, but he struggled under the weight of expectation and didn't fit into the club's style of play.
The striker moved to West Ham on a season-long loan last year, scoring seven goals in 24 league games and, and has completed a permanent switch to Upton Park on a six-year deal.
While West Ham said Carroll has joined for an undisclosed fee, confirming it was a "club record," the son of co-owner David Sullivan - Jack Sullivan - tweeted that the fee was 15.5 million pounds ($24.25 million) plus 2 million pounds worth of add-ons. That is close to the figure British media had been reporting.
"Since the end of the season, I've had a lot of time to think, I've missed it and that's why I'm back," said Carroll, described by West Ham as their "marquee" signing.
West Ham, who finished 10th in the Premier League last season, are preparing to move into the 54,000-seat Olympic Stadium in 2016.
"The way the club's being run, obviously getting the new stadium and everything like that, it's only going up," Carroll said.
Carroll's robust style is more suited to West Ham, where manager Sam Allardyce favors more direct tactics than those adopted at Liverpool under Brendan Rodgers.
By guaranteeing himself playing time at West Ham, Carroll will hope to get back in favor with England in time for the 2014 World Cup, should the national team make it there. The striker has scored two goals in nine games for his country.
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