Andy Carroll transfer news: Former Newcastle, Liverpool and West Ham joins National League South side Dagenham & Redbridge

Former Newcastle, Liverpool and West Ham striker Andy Carroll has joined sixth-tier Dagenham & Redbridge on a free transfer.

Carroll has signed a reported three-year deal with the National League South club after leaving Bordeaux last month.

The 36-year-old departed the French fourth-tier club after just a season because he wanted to be closer to his children.

Carroll said in an interview with Sky Sports, external that he had “clubs ringing me up from higher leagues” but it was important that he moved to a team which was the “right fit”.

“It doesn’t matter the level, or anything, as long as I get on the pitch and play football, that’s all that matters,” Carroll said.

“Coming here and showing people I am just playing for the love of football rather than the money and the level is something I wanted to do.

“This is something which could be fantastic. We have a project to get them out of non-league and back up the leagues.”

Gateshead-born Carroll scored 54 goals in 248 Premier League games during spells with Newcastle United, Liverpool and West Ham United.

He then went on to play for Reading and West Bromwich Albion before moving to France with second-tier side Amiens in 2023.

Carroll won nine caps for England, scoring two goals, between 2010 and 2012.

On the day they signed Carroll, Dagenham & Redbridge also announced a deal to sell the club to a consortium of private investors from Qatar.

The Daggers were bought by Club Underdog, a subsidiary of US-based company North Six Group, in May 2024.

“Completion of the transaction remains subject to legal finalisation and approvals from the FA and the National League,” Dagenham & Redbridge said in a statement.