Giles: Carroll price a huge gamble

JOHN GILES says he was surprised that Liverpool broke their club record to sign Andy Carroll and has branded the €41 million transfer a gamble for the Merseyside club.

Carroll’s move to Anfield and Fernando Torres’ departure for Chelsea were the big stories of transfer deadline day and, of the two strikers, Giles believes that the ex-Newcastle number nine has the most to prove.

“Whatever about Chelsea paying €58 million for Torres, €41m for Carroll was a bit of surprise to me because he’s still learning,” says Giles. “For €41m you’d want the finished article. You don’t know if Torres will go on to do it at Chelsea but he has proven he can do it at Liverpool. Carroll is a good player and he could be a bargain. He has good qualities, he is big, strong and brave but whether he goes out and looks after himself as he should remains to be seen.”