Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has confirmed talks with Liverpool are ongoing as the Magpies look to bring Andy Carroll back to Tyneside.
Carroll left St James' Park to join Liverpool in January 2011 for a club record £35milion, and has largely struggled on Merseyside since making his big money move.
Newcastle failed with an initial bid for the 23-year-old at the weekend but are expected to return with an improved offer.
It is believed Carroll has privately conceded he favours a move back to Tyneside, and Pardew has confirmed chairman Mike Ashley is in talks with the Liverpool board to try and work out a deal.
"It will be what it will be," Pardew told the Evening Chronicle.
"That whole process is a little bit more involved with the chairman and the board at Liverpool.
"We've got a great team here, a great squad, and if Andy Carroll comes it'll only add to us."
Ashley is believed to have offered Liverpool £13m for the England international, with Liverpool understood to want at least £20m. But it is believed a compromise can still be reached.
"It's simple, really. Sometimes transfers are done at corporate level. I'm slightly detached from that," Pardew added.
"It's been said that he's available, and if we're involved then we'll be involved because of the figures, not anything else, because we know he's good enough. I'm slightly detached from it."
Carroll was not on Liverpool's flight to the United States on Monday for a pre-season tour as he has been given extra time off after appearing for England at Euro 2012.
If a deal is not worked out by the weekend, Carroll will still be expected to jet out to north America to join his team-mates.