West Ham United striker Andy Carroll is prepared to fight for a place in the Hammers’ first-team when he returns from injury.
Since arriving in East London last summer, the England international has found it difficult to stay fit, spending the majority of the past 15 months on the sidelines.
Carroll was expected to be out until December after undergoing ankle surgery in the summer.
However, a quick recovery could see the 25-year-old make his highly-anticipated return sooner than expected. Early November seems to be the new target date.
Now then, what does that mean for West Ham?
It could mean less playing time for new arrivals Diafra Sakho, Enner Valencia, and Mauro Zarate, but that would not be fair to the in-form trio, who have combined to net six goals in the English Premier League this season.
Thus, all things considered, Carroll will likely start on the bench as Sam Allardyce’s fourth option.
“I don’t mind a battle, and every team needs competition for places,” Carroll told the London Evening Standard.
“That is one of the things we have here. Everyone is fighting for their place.
“It has been mixed emotions for me watching the team this season.
“I am desperate to be out there on the pitch but I remember the Liverpool game when I was jumping up and down watching from the box. I think I did enough work for that day on my ankle!
“I know I’ve had problems with injuries and I’m not hiding away from that.
“Hopefully this is the last one and I can get it out of the way. The club have put a lot of faith in me, paying so much money, but I don’t feel like I’ve let them down. It’s an injury that I couldn’t help.”
Carroll, who joined West Ham from Liverpool in a deal reportedly worth £17 million, tallied two goals and four assists in 15 league appearances last season.
Grealish signs new Villa deal
Aston Villa starlet Jack Grealish has put pen to paper on a new four-year deal with the club.
The Republic of Ireland youth international, 19, has been linked with a shock move to table toppers Chelsea, despite having made just five Premier League appearances.
Grealish is absolutely delighted to sign a long-term deal with his boyhood club, and rightly so.
“It’s a dream come true to commit my future to my boyhood club,” Grealish told the club’s official website.
“I’ve grown up supporting the club – in fact, I’ve had a season ticket at Villa since I was four-years-old and came to every game – so this is a big thing for me and my family.
“All of my family are Villa fans and my dad has been there from the start, all through my career he’s followed me and he hasn’t missed a Villa game this season.
“This has always been a club that plays a big role in the community, it has a family feel to it and I’m proud to be part of that now. This feels like home to me.”
Grealish is the most highly-rated Aston Villa youth academy graduate since Gabriel Agbonlahor, who broke into Villa’s first-team as a teenager in 2005.
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