Newcastle United are currently doing well under Rafael Benitez’s guidance and have successfully managed to get themselves away from the relegation zone. The Magpies are occupying the 13th place in the Premier League standings with a healthy six-point gap separating them from 18th placed Cardiff City.
One of the main reasons for their recent success has been the incredible form of Salomon Rondon and Ayoze Perez. Both forwards have found their goal-scoring touch in the last few matches which have helped Newcastle distance themselves from the dreaded drop zone. However, there is no doubt that Benitez needs more squad depth if he wants to ensure that the Tyneside outfit improves under him every season.
The fact that the club’s owner Mike Ashley has been so shy of spending money in the past few transfer windows has been detrimental to Newcastle’s chances of doing well in the English top-flight. Benitez has still managed to find ways to acquire players on the cheap. One player he could look to recruit next summer should be Andy Carroll.
The Gateshead born talent is currently on the fringes at West Ham United with his contract coming to an end in the summer. So it could be an ideal opportunity for the Magpies to orchestrate a return for their once-beloved striker.
Carroll rose to prominence during his time at St. James’ Park when he joined the club’s academy at a young age. The English forward managed to work his way up their youth ranks before finally announcing himself to the Premier League in the 2010-2011 campaign.
He has registered 33 goals in 90 matches for the Tyneside giants before his big move to Liverpool at the start of 2011. Since then, Carroll has failed to maintain the same heights that made him such a fan favourite at Newcastle. He struggled to prove his worth at Anfield mainly because of injuries.
His time at West Ham has also been underwhelming which begs the question of whether the Magpies should look to give him another chance at the end of this campaign. Carroll could potentially be available for free which means that he will be a low-risk acquisition. Moreover, the English forward is renowned for his aerial prowess, so he can still be a potent threat from set-pieces inside the opposition penalty box.
Benitez could also choose to use him as an impact substitute off the bench while Rondon and Perez get the chance to impress in the Newcastle first-team. Carroll will undoubtedly be a good, low-risk option for the Tyneside giants to consider during the summer transfer window.
