Liverpool shelve Andy Carroll-Hatem Ben Arfa swap deal

Andy Carroll

Liverpool have put the Andy Carroll-Ben Arfa swap deal on hold due to fears over Hatem Ben Arfa’s fitness.

The gifted French international had impressed the Liverpool boss, but the Anfield club don’t want to take any chance on his fitness.

Liverpool are firm in their stand for £17m for Carroll and Newcastle have been told they will have to come up with the cash if they want the striker to return home.

Newcastle are still keen to bring Carroll home but hopes of a swap deal ­involving the Frenchman this summer are set to be dashed. Newcastle sold Carroll for £35m in January 2011, but the Newcastle owner Mike ­Ashley wants the English striker back at a bargain. However, with the injury-prone French mid-fielder being sidelined with a hamstring problem, Liverpool have put their interest in the former Marseilles man on hold.

Last week, Ben Arfa was banned from driving for 49 days and fined £5,100. Arfa was caught overtaking a police car at 110mph in a Mercedes which had no insurance.

Source: Mirror