Source: PA
Bruce reveals Carroll approach
Sunderland boss Steve Bruce has admitted he once had the chance to sign striker Andy Carroll for just £4.5million.
Carroll could make his first start for Liverpool at the Stadium of Light on Sunday after finally shaking off the thigh injury with which he arrived at Anfield after his £35million switch from Newcastle in January.
But Bruce has revealed the England international might have made his name in very different colours after playing an impressive cameo role as a substitute for the Magpies at Wigan in December 2008.
He told the Journal: "When I was Wigan manager, he came on against us and played well, really well. We were hammering Newcastle and Andy came on and won them a penalty with two minutes to go.
"On the Monday morning, I rang up [then manager] Joe Kinnear and I said to him, 'Would you sell me Andy?', and they quoted me £4.5million.
"To be honest, I seriously thought about it - however, in the end, we could only go to £2.5million. I had [Emile] Heskey at the time and I did wonder if Heskey and Carroll would work, so Andy Carroll could quite easily have ended up being my player."
