Manuel Pellegrini has yet to work with his entire West Ham squad since arriving at the club with a host of players having picked up injuries during his tenure so far as manager.
And unsurprisingly, Andy Carroll is just one name on that list, though the 29-year-old is close to making a return.
Speaking earlier this week about the striker’s current state of fitness, Pellegrini told West Ham’s official club website: “Andy is close to playing again. At the start of last week he started working a little bit with the squad, not 100%, and he will work again this week.”
Since joining West Ham on loan from Liverpool back in 2012 before signing permanently for the east London club, £9m-rated (via Transfermarkt) Carroll has struggled with injuries. But when he has played, he has managed to make the sort of impact up front a manager would expect from their No.9.
That being said, with Pellegrini currently in the London Stadium dugout as opposed to previous West Ham bosses such as David Moyes and Sam Allardyce, now may be a good time for the Hammers to part way with Carroll — and not just because of his injury problems.
While Pellegrini had great success with Edin Dzeko during his time as Manchester City manager, other than the Roma striker, the Chilean has not had much luck using a target man with Wilfried Bony coming to mind.
Rather, Pellegrini’s style of football has got the best out of more smaller and mobile forwards among the rest of the team’s flair players.
Considering all of that, a transfer out of West Ham for Carroll could be in everyone’s best interest. And if things start to point in that direction, then Crystal Palace would be wise to explore the possibility of bringing the former Liverpool man to Selhurst Park.
Carroll is Roy Hodgson’s ideal centre-forward, a centre-forward who can hold up the ball effectively and provide an overall physical presence up front.
Most importantly, though, when fit, Carroll is a more capable goalscorer than all of Crystal Palace’s current strikers with the exception of Christian Benteke, though there is an argument to suggest otherwise considering the Belgian’s recent form.
All in all, Carroll’s time as a West Ham player may be coming to an end with Crystal Palace being just one Premier League outfit who could do with a frontman of his ability.
