Former Newcastle United striker Andy Carroll has revealed he hoped he would fail his medical before a deadline day move to Liverpool in 2011.
Liverpool made a late bid for Carroll after losing Fernando Torres to Chelsea that January and a transfer was wrapped up quickly on deadline day.
The former England striker had led the Magpies back into the Premier League the previous season and started well in the top flight, hitting 11 goals in 19 games. He also put pen to paper on a new five-year contract and insisted he was happy in his native north east.
"From the moment Liverpool made this incredible bid on deadline day, I found myself in a helicopter, without really understanding why," he told L’Équipe.
And the striker, who is now playing for Amiens in Ligue 1, added: "As I was injured, I remember hoping to fail my medical."
Carroll scored just 11 goals in 58 appearances for Liverpool. He started in the League Cup final win against Cardiff in 2012 and netted the Reds' goal in their 2-1 loss to Chelsea in the FA Cup final that same season.
Later, he changed his view on the move to Liverpool, believing that it helped him to develop as a player and a person.
"This helped me grow up by taking me out of my comfort zone," he said. "Because I knew nothing about life and football, apart from Newcastle."
Carroll left Liverpool in the summer of 2012 and spent seven seasons at West Ham before returning to Newcastle for another two-year spell between 2019 and 2021.
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