Andy Carroll Linked with Return to Non-League Chelmsford City

Andy Carroll, the 36-year-old former Newcastle, Liverpool, and West Ham striker, has been linked with a potential return to English football through a move to Chelmsford City, a sixth-tier National League South club. Carroll, who spent the past two seasons playing in France for Amiens and Bordeaux, left Bordeaux to be closer to his family in England and is currently a free agent. Despite the speculation, Chelmsford City's manager Angelo Harrop has remained non-committal about signing Carroll, emphasizing the club's focus on youth development and squad cohesion as they transition into a full-time professional outfit aiming for promotion to the English Football League. Carroll's recent career includes playing in lower divisions in France, where he took a significant pay cut, even reporting that it cost him money to play, but he expressed happiness simply playing football. Chelmsford City finished mid-table last season and are undergoing a transformation with increased investment and ambitions to climb the English football pyramid. Carroll's potential signing would be a marquee move for the club, which is currently building a new squad under Harrop's leadership.