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Rodgers drops Carroll exit hint

Andy Carroll has struggled for goals this season with a number of injuries keeping him on the sidelines © PA Photos

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Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has again hinted he does not need a player of Andy Carroll's style within his squad, suggesting his stance on the striker's future at Anfield has not changed.

Reports on Thursday had suggested that the Liverpool boss was prepared to open the door for Carroll's return to Anfield after an indifferent season-long loan at West Ham cast doubt over his long-term future at Upton Park

However, Rodgers has again hinted that Liverpool will be looking to offload the big striker for a hefty fee this summer, with the notion that he will reshape his side to include the talents of the target man dismissed by the Reds boss.

"We are a team that is set up to exploit Luis Suarez's qualities," Rodgers said. "Every player it is about the style, and how they fit into that. If you look at Suarez, he has flourished this season in the roaming role we have given him.

"Likewise for other players you may have to set up in a certain way to get the best out of them. We are the second-highest goal-scorers in the league, so we have been able to score goals all season and we are happy with playing around a talent like Luis.

"There is no doubt Andy has qualities and some of his goals from set plays with West Ham have proven that. Just as it was last season, if the player does leave then it won't be for nothing.

"He came here for an astronomical fee which was no fault of his own, but the club can't have that money sat on the bench, in terms of what Andy cost and his wages.

"The big boy's gone out and he's scored five goals, probably not played as often as he and West Ham would have liked, but there was a massive price tag on him and we have to consider that. We will see what happens in the summer."

Liverpool will be keen to recoup as much of the £35m they spent to sign Carroll from Newcastle in January 2011 if he seals a permanent move away from Anfield, with West Ham boss Sam Allardyce confirming he is eager to sign the striker despite his lack of goals with the Hammer this season.

"I wouldn't have spent as much time as I did trying to get him here if I didn't want him here on a permanent basis," Allardyce said.

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