Report: NUFC hold ‘behind the scenes’ talks over £3.6m-rated man’s St. James’ Park future
Newcastle United are inclined to offer Andy Carroll a new contract ahead of the striker becoming a free agent this summer, according to the Chronicle.
Carroll signed a one-year, pay-as-you-play contract last summer following his release by West Ham United, which sees the 31-year-old earn a basic wage of around £20,000-per-week.
The terms are heavily incentivised on featuring, with Carroll earning a further £35,000 each time he is brought on as a substitute or £75,000 if started.
Head coach Steve Bruce has only been in a position to award the Gateshead-born target man opening roles in four of our Premier League games to date, while introducing Carroll from the dugout a further ten times across all competitions.
The boss has been without Carroll since January’s FA Cup Third Round Replay with Oxford United after the forward suffered a setback in his rehabilitation while attempting to volley a ball in training, which the Chronicle note has been more to do with his hamstring rather than his hip.
Carroll was close to a return prior to all English football being put on hold due to the coronavirus outbreak, as he strives to add further outings to his total of 14 this term with nine Premier League fixtures plus our FA Cup Quarter Final with Manchester City still to play.
But even should the blow prevent Carroll from reaching the 20 game threshold needed to trigger a fresh contract, the feeling ‘behind the scenes’ following talks is that a new deal may be offered anyway if he can offer something in the final games of the term.
Only Christian Atsu (five) has provided more assists than Carroll (four) has for us across all competitions so far this season, while Carroll also boasts our third-best points-per-game average (1.54) in the Premier League – only behind Ciaran Clark (1.64) and Allan Saint-Maximin (1.61).
Relentless question marks over Carroll’s fitness would make a new contract debatable unless the forward is to pen heavily incentivised terms again, but how willing will the £3.6million-rated striker be to do so?
Does Carroll deserve a new contract?
Bruce will need strikers at the club next season that he can rely on, and Carroll has so far not been that man with no goals to show for his efforts since returning to the club where he began his career.
In other Newcastle United news, a £9k-p/w defender has stated that talks will be needed over his future at St. James’ Park.