Andy Carroll Joins West Ham On Season-Long Loan

West Ham United have announced the acquisition of forward Andy Carroll on a season-long loan from Liverpool. The 23-year-old English international will spend the 2012/13 season with the Hammers and could end up staying on a permanent basis.

Carroll joined Liverpool in January of 2011 for a reported fee of £35m from Newcastle United. He never seemed to settle at the club and there have been rumors swirling for weeks about him either being loaned out or sold out right. Carroll will be available to make his debut on Saturday when West Ham faces Fulham.

Carroll had this to say about the move on the team's website:

"It's great to be here at West Ham and all signed up - I just can't wait to get started now," Carroll said. "I want to be playing games and obviously hoping to score some goals. I know the manager well and some of the lads, so it is nice for me to come to a place where I know people. I'm hoping to add a lot of goals and create a few chances. I know Sam from Newcastle and he was a massive reason for me coming. When I worked with him at Newcastle it was great so it was a no-brainer really."

West Ham manager Sam Allardyce was plesaed with the move:

"I think for all parties this is a great signing. Andy is an all-round footballer, but because he is 6'3" and one of his strengths is his aerial power, everybody dismisses the ability he possesses on the floor. Hopefully he can score goals for us and we will be in a very good position at the end of the year in the Barclays Premier League."

Carroll started on the bench in both of Liverpool's league matches this season, making appearances as a late substitute in both games. Despite only playing a total of 18 minutes so far this season, one expects he'll slot right in to the starting XI for Allardyce this weekend, assuming he's match fit and ready to go.