Andy Carroll admits he hoped to fail Liverpool medical

Former Liverpool striker Andy Carroll has admitted he hoped he would fail his medical ahead of his transfer back in 2011.

Signed on Deadline Day for a then record fee for a British player at £35m and inheriting the number nine shirt left vacant by Fernando Torres, who departed in the same winter window for Chelsea, Carroll's time at Liverpool was perhaps doomed from the start.

The target man struggled to settle at Liverpool, scoring just 11 times in 58 appearances before being shipped off to West Ham.

Despite flashes of quality, including an FA Cup semi-final winner against Everton, Carroll was ultimately a disappointment on the pitch for Liverpool, while his career has been plagued by fitness and discipline issues.

Now aged 34 and playing for Ligue 2 side Amiens, Carroll has conceded that he didn't want to leave Newcastle back in January 2011, even hoping the move would fall apart at the medical stage.

He told L'Equipe: "In fact, I wanted to stay, but from the moment Liverpool made this incredible offer, on the last day of the transfer window, I found myself, without really understanding why, in a helicopter.

"As I was injured, I remember thinking, ‘I hope I fail the medical exam’."

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The nine-cap England international did, however, claim the transfer was ultimately a good thing for his personal development.

"To be honest, in hindsight, I think this transfer was a good thing," he added. "Because it made me grow out of my comfort zone."

Though Carroll's transfer to Liverpool was ultimately a failure, the Reds also signed Luis Suarez in the same window, with the Uruguayan going on to score 82 goals in 133 appearances for the Reds, as well as winning the 2013/14 Golden Boot and PFA Player of the Year award.