Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has told Newcastle to forget about signing Andy Carroll on loan, and has said he would be a “nut-case” for letting his record signing leave Anfield on the cheap.
The £35million striker’s future at Anfield has been in doubt for some time and his former club are still believed to be interested in taking him back to Tyneside for a second spell have already failed with a loan bid for their former target man.
Rodgers is expected to hold talks with the 23-year-old in the next few days as he looks to finalise his squad before the summer transfer window closes at the end of next week, and is aware the outcome of those talks may mean he has to dip back in to the transfer market to bring in another forward.
But the former Swansea boss has made it clear he will not allow Carroll to leave the club on transfer deadline day and insists any deal would have to be done in time to allow him to sign a replacement.
“There is absolutely no chance any team will do a number on us – and certainly not Newcastle,” Rodgers insisted.
“Newcastle got £35million for this player last year. To even consider wanting to take him on loan is a liberty, really.
“I need a minimum of three strikers. Once the window shuts, that it is it until January.
“I have got Luis Suarez, Fabio Borini and Andy Carroll.
“I would need to be a nut-case to even consider at this moment to let Andy Carroll go out, unless there are other solutions for that.”
As well as Carroll, Daniel Agger has also been linked with a move away from Merseyside, with Manchester City keen on the defender.
“I can’t see anything at this stage, to be honest. He is not a player that I want to lose and I never thought I was going to lose him,” added Rodgers.
“Like every player in the group, if someone comes in with a big, big offer then that might be out of my hands in relation to the club and where it is at with finances, but I wouldn’t see us losing Daniel.”
