'It even cost me money': £35 million Newcastle striker opens up on shock summer move

The former Newcastle United striker who still holds the distinction of being the club's most expensive sale has opened up on his surprise late-summer transfer.

Following another former Newcastle and West Ham man, Amadou Diallo, Andy Carroll recently joined six-time Ligue 1 champions Bordeaux in the fourth tier of French football.

Bordeaux hit severe financial troubles which forced the club to give up its status as a professional outfit and must now start again from the fourth rung of the French ladder.

After playing in the second division with Amiens, Carroll dropped down two leagues to join Bordeaux late this summer and scored a brace at the weekend to rescue a point for his new club.

Getty Images

Andy Carroll is excited to be part of the project at Bordeaux

Now the man who left Newcastle for £35 million one fateful deadline day in January, has opened up to The Northern Echo about why he's made the move.

“It’s a great project. Unfortunately, the club has fallen several divisions but it’s a big club and we’re going to try to get it back to where it should be.

“I loved my life in France last year and this opportunity has arrived. It’s a great club with great fans. The training grounds are exceptional, and I wanted to be part of this history. I adapted really well to French life in Amiens, I really loved my life there.

“You know, I just love football, and it was an opportunity to play for a big French club. It doesn’t matter what level you play at in the end. I like playing football and that’s what I came here to do. I really hope we can achieve our goals this season.

“To be honest, it even cost me money to go play for Girondins. But I play football and I’m just happy to play football. I want to be part of the history of this club and to be honest it’s not a question of money. In my career, it has never been about money.”

Mike Ashley couldn't resist the money when Liverpool came knocking

There may be a few people reading that and rolling their eyes at the 'it's never been about the money' comment given his big-money move to Liverpool, but what we have to remember is that Carroll didn't actually want to go, he was practically forced to accept the deal by Mike Ashley who just saw the pound signs and not what it would do to the club.

Carroll did make a return to Newcastle late in his career, but he was a shadow of the player we let slip through our fingers.

Andy Carroll has always been a 'what if?' type player. If he'd stayed at Newcastle, how differently would his career have turned out? He had some success at Liverpool but he never reached the heights he looked destined for at Newcastle.