A former Newcastle United player well-loved by the fans has ruled out a return to the North East after confirming he will return to England.
The summer transfer window has already seen hundreds of players find new clubs, but all still appears to be quiet on Tyneside.
Newcastle United have made the promise of being busy this summer, with Eddie Howe acknowledging that the squad needs to be improved and business needs to be done quickly. Howe’s transfer claims were then echoed by Bruno Guimaraes, with the Brazilian stating that Newcastle need to be active in the transfer window because the squad is not big enough to compete in the Champions League.
While quality signings are one thing, Newcastle must be wary that they are currently short of club-trained players ahead of their return to Europe’s top competition. As it stands, Sean Longstaff is the only club-trained player at the club, so the signings of academy graduates from the past are required if they want to register more players for the Champions League.
One former Newcastle star confirmed that they were returning to England after a two-year stint in France, but it has since been confirmed that he will not be playing in the North East.
Andy Carroll celebrates after scoring in a Championship game between Newcastle United and Cardiff City.
Photo by Jamie McDonald/Getty Images
Newcastle United hero Andy Carroll confirms he will not return to the North East
Andy Carroll came through the Magpies’ academy and broke into the first team in 2006 after a number of positive performances. Carroll was then given the No.9 shirt at Newcastle from the 2009/10 season, helping the club return to the Premier League at the first possible opportunity.
Midway through the 2010/11 season, Carroll completed a £35m move to Liverpool but it ended up being a disaster. Six years at West Ham occurred before stints at Reading and West Brom. Carroll then moved to France to play for Amiens and, most recently, Bordeaux.
Now, Carroll has confirmed his departure from Bordeaux in favour of a return to England. There has been speculation over what his next club could be, whether he would favour a club in the North East or one elsewhere.
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It has been confirmed by Mark Carruthers that it is highly unlikely that he will move to the North East, as his original announcement confirmed that he wants to return and move closer to his family, who live in the South.
Just on this – a move to any North East non-league club is highly unlikely/impossible as he's already stated he wants to move closer to his family, who live in the south.
Know one North East non-league club has shown interest and indicated what they could offer. https://t.co/pI2OQNCdxU
— Mark Carruthers (@MarkCarruthers_) July 6, 2025
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According to the Shields Gazette, Carroll is linked with a move to National League South Club Chelmsford City, although Clarets boss Angelo Harris is keeping tight-lipped about those rumours.
Who Newcastle United could sign for the Champions League squad registration
It was highly unlikely that Carroll would have returned to Newcastle, but that is one name that can be ticked off the list.
However, there are several other players the Magpies could look to sign for their squad registration. Newcastle were linked with a move for Fraser Forster in June after it was announced that the goalkeeper would be leaving Tottenham Hotspur upon the expiry of his contract.
We can confirm the departures of Fraser Forster, Sergio Reguilon and Alfie Whiteman following the conclusion of their contracts, while Timo Werner departs following the conclusion of his loan spell.
Thank you for your service and all the best for the future, lads 🤍
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) May 31, 2025
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Forster admitted it is his dream to play for Newcastle again, and that dream could come true this summer. Elsewhere, Paul Dummett is a free agent after his release from Carlisle United. The defender was released by the Magpies in 2024 but could make a return to the club if the interest is there from the club’s side.
Additionally, Newcastle could look to older players like Tim Krul or James Tavernier to provide them with an extra slot in the Champions League squad registration, but there has been no word on whether they are options.