Former Teammate Craig Bellamy Gives Brutally Honest Verdict of Andy Carroll Amid Chelsea Links

Perhaps one of the most perplexing transfer stories to come out of the January window is West Ham striker Andy Carroll's rumoured move to Premier League

Perhaps one of the most perplexing transfer stories to come out of the January window is West Ham striker Andy Carroll's rumoured move to Premier League champions Chelsea. 

The injury-prone 29-year-old England striker never quite reached the heights he was dubbed to reach as youngster at Newcastle United. Injuries and poor-form meant he managed only one-and-a-half seasons at Liverpool after a £35m move in January 2011. Now at West Ham, Carroll has surprisingly been linked with another big move. 

Someone who is certainly not convinced by Carroll's links with Chelsea is his former Liverpool teammate Craig Bellamy. Talking on Sky Sports' 'The Debate', Bellamy questioned Carroll's ability and motivation in a brutally honest assessment of the England striker. 

🔵 Chelsea trying to sell Batshuayi to Dortmund, so....
🔶 Dortmund can sell Aubameyang to Arsenal, so...
🔴 Arsenal can replace Alexis Sanchez who's joining Man Utd, so...

🔵 Chelsea can finally buy Andy Carroll. 😂💀 pic.twitter.com/WBU2fDE32j

— SPORF (@Sporf) January 18, 2018

"I don't believe he [Carroll] worked hard enough during the week to be the player he wanted to become," said Bellamy (via Joe). "I never seen an inch of that, like with Jordan Henderson. He was going through a difficult period at that time as well, but he just trained and trained and trained, he kept improving, going to the gym.

"He worked, and I knew, I remember saying to him: 'You're going to be a top player. I know it, just by your attitude, and the ability you have, it will come'. I never felt that was going to be the case with Andy." 

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Carroll has scored 52 goals in 195 Premier League appearances, with an astonishing 24 of those coming from his head.  

Bellamy added, "His strength is in the air, he's very difficult to deal with. But, in general play, he's very difficult to link with, he doesn't see the game."

"I just feel he doesn't have the mentality or drive to be a top player, to be at Chelsea levels or be at Liverpool for more than one season, and that's just what I've always felt with Andy. I was surprised he was linked to Chelsea."