Carroll insists he has no desire to leave

ANDY CARROLL has said he has no desire to leave Liverpool after the club tried to exchange him for Manchester City’s Carlos Tevez only a year after his €30 million arrival from Newcastle United.

Carroll, who has scored only six times for Kenny Dalglish’s team since becoming Britain’s most expensive footballer 12 months ago, was also linked with a return to Newcastle United earlier in the transfer window. Having produced a battling display in Saturday’s FA Cup win against Manchester United, however, the 22-year-old denied he is unsettled on Merseyside or keen to leave.

“I’m just here. I’ve signed a contract here and this is the team I’m playing for,” Carroll said. “I love it here. All the lads are great with me in training and away from the training ground everyone has been great with me as well.”

Liverpool have denied making an offer to exchange Carroll for Tevez but sources elsewhere insist an approach was made. Carroll’s agent, Mark Curtis, is understood to be furious at the club’s attempt to offload his client without his knowledge. Despite public support for the striker from Dalglish, the interest in Tevez raises doubt about the former Newcastle player’s long-term future at Anfield. He said he had no regrets over his move to Merseyside.

“Not at all. The club has been great with me and I’m enjoying it here. Winning in midweek [against Manchester City in the League Cup] and getting to the final and then Man U coming here, beating them and getting through, it’s a great feeling.”

With Luis Suarez available for next Monday’s home game against Tottenham Hotspur, he will need Saturday’s performance to be a turning point. “I think it can be,” Carroll said. “I thought I did well but now I’ve just got to keep on going and keep working on it and then it will come. Everyone at the club has given me a lot of support. Everyone is backing me and helping me. I think I’m just getting into my stride.”

As Liverpool supporters floated away from Anfield, Ian St John, who knows a thing or two about the striker’s art, was insisting on Radio City that closer support from Craig Bellamy and others would give Carroll greater opportunity to shine. Dirk Kuyt promised the England international exactly that when he took to the field in the 63rd minute against United.

“The header for the last goal was something I had told him. I said ‘Win the header and flick it on’ and he did that perfectly,” Kuyt said. “I thought Andy played a great game and he worked really hard. I know how difficult it is to be alone up front. He was important for us for both goals.”

Meanwhile a 59-year-old man from north Wales has been detained by Merseyside police in connection with an alleged racist gesture made during the fourth-round tie at Anfield on Saturday. An image of a man making the alleged gesture was distributed on Twitter and police received a number of complaints. A police spokeswoman said: “The man has been taken to a police station and will be questioned by officers. Merseyside Police would like to thank North Wales Police and Liverpool Football Club for their assistance.”

Guardian Service