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Andy Carroll insists he did not want to leave Newcastle
Carroll made his England debut against France in November at Wembley
Andy Carroll, who joined Liverpool for £35m on Monday, has insisted he did not want to leave Newcastle. The striker told the Evening Chronicle: "I didn't want to leave. Make sure the fans know I didn't want to leave."
Magpies boss Alan Pardew conceded he asked Carroll, 22, to put in a transfer request but said he was not forced out.
He told the Shields Gazette: "We had a conversation about him wanting a new contract and [Carroll said] if he did not get that contract he wanted to go."
In December, Pardew had said that Carroll, who signed a new deal in October was not for sale.
And Newcastle rejected an initial approach for the England striker on transfer deadline day but, after receiving a second, accepted it when, according to Pardew, Carroll asked to leave if he was not given a new contract.
"[Managing director] Derek [Llambias] asked me to hand in a transfer request, so I was pushed into a corner and had no choice," explained Carroll.
"I wasn't wanted by them and they made it clear they wanted the money.
"Then I flew down in [owner Mike Ashley's] helicopter. I didn't want to leave.
"I'm gutted that I wasn't wanted at my home team after everything I have done and the progress I have made."
Carroll's comments support what was reported in Tuesday's Daily Star, that he sent texts to Steve Wraith, editor of the Toon Talk fanzine, claiming he felt he had being forced out of the club.
However, Pardew maintained: "We turned down a big offer, and they came back with a second big offer.
"We were having a discussion about what we were going to do with that offer when Andy requested to see me.
"I went to see Andy face to face. I asked him what he wanted, and I went to the board. We had a discussion about what the ramifications would be for the whole club.
"We took the view, with him signing a contract in October, that this would cause us all sorts of problems.
"We decided that we needed the conversation confirmed, and [that] he put in a transfer request, which he did.
"He spoke to his agent, and between them they put the request in. We decided with the size of the offer, and what it meant to us, that we would accept.
"But no club is about one player. We're absolutely gutted that he's gone. It's disappointing, but we're not in a financial position like Liverpool."
Carroll made his England debut against France in November at WembleyAndy Carroll, who joined Liverpool for £35m on Monday, has insisted he did not want to leave Newcastle. The striker told the Evening Chronicle: "I didn't want to leave. Make sure the fans know I didn't want to leave."
Magpies boss Alan Pardew conceded he asked Carroll, 22, to put in a transfer request but said he was not forced out.
He told the Shields Gazette: "We had a conversation about him wanting a new contract and [Carroll said] if he did not get that contract he wanted to go."
In December, Pardew had said that Carroll, who signed a new deal in October was not for sale.
And Newcastle rejected an initial approach for the England striker on transfer deadline day but, after receiving a second, accepted it when, according to Pardew, Carroll asked to leave if he was not given a new contract.
"[Managing director] Derek [Llambias] asked me to hand in a transfer request, so I was pushed into a corner and had no choice," explained Carroll.
"I wasn't wanted by them and they made it clear they wanted the money.
"Then I flew down in [owner Mike Ashley's] helicopter. I didn't want to leave.
"I'm gutted that I wasn't wanted at my home team after everything I have done and the progress I have made."
Carroll's comments support what was reported in Tuesday's Daily Star, that he sent texts to Steve Wraith, editor of the Toon Talk fanzine, claiming he felt he had being forced out of the club.
However, Pardew maintained: "We turned down a big offer, and they came back with a second big offer.
"We were having a discussion about what we were going to do with that offer when Andy requested to see me.
"I went to see Andy face to face. I asked him what he wanted, and I went to the board. We had a discussion about what the ramifications would be for the whole club.
"We took the view, with him signing a contract in October, that this would cause us all sorts of problems.
"We decided that we needed the conversation confirmed, and [that] he put in a transfer request, which he did.
"He spoke to his agent, and between them they put the request in. We decided with the size of the offer, and what it meant to us, that we would accept.
"But no club is about one player. We're absolutely gutted that he's gone. It's disappointing, but we're not in a financial position like Liverpool."