Andy Carroll to Tottenham: Bad blood will mean West Ham striker does NOT join Spurs, Tony Cottee says

West Ham striker Andy Carroll will NOT join Tottenham Hotspur this month due to the bad blood that exists between the two clubs, former Hammers striker Tony Cottee believes.

Carroll was linked with a shock move to north London earlier this week, with The Sun claiming Mauricio Pochettino wants the 30-year-old to solve Spurs’ injury crisis.

Fernando Llorente is Tottenham’s lone senior striker currently available for selection, with Harry Kane injured until early March and Heung-Min Son currently representing South Korea at the Asia Cup.

Though Lucas Moura is expected to feature in this evening’s Carabao Cup semi-final second leg clash against Chelsea – which is LIVE on talkSPORT – the Brazil international is not a natural goal scorer and Pochettino wants a true centre-forward to call upon.

Llorente has hardly impressed in his rare outings for Spurs, and Carroll is just one player reportedly wanted by the club, with Callum Wilson, the Bournemouth striker, and Liverpool’s Divock Origi also linked to Tottenham.

Carroll is out of contract at the end of the season so is believed to be available for just £2million, with a January exit likely just moving forward the inevitable with the forward expected to leave the London Stadium for nothing this summer.

However, it is unlikely any January move will take Carroll to Tottenham, as Cottee believes West Ham will not do business with their London rivals.

Speaking to PlayOJO, the fair online casino, the ex-Hammers star said: “West Ham and Spurs don’t normally do business together, I don’t think there’s the best of blood there.

“I can honestly say, hand on heart, I can’t see that one happening.”

Furthermore, Cottee does not believe Carroll would be a good signing for the Lilywhites, as they are unlikely to alter their style of play to suit the 6ft 4in striker.

“I don’t know whether he would fit into the Spurs style of play,” Cottee continued. “I don’t know whether they would want to adapt their game to fit in with Andy Carroll. If you’re going to play him, you have to give him service.

“Although with Danny Rose and Kieran Trippier, there are two great crossers of the ball.

“Any player that is looking to go to Spurs has got to be prepared to sit on the bench and watch what is England’s best centre forward. I think that’s why it’s been hard for Tottenham to get another centre forward into the club.

“I know they’ve got Llorente there, but if you’re looking to come in as a forward, you’ll have to be patient and invariably, you’re going to be on the bench watching Harry Kane smash loads of goals in.”

“Tony Cottee is one of the celebrities involved in PlayOJO’s new rent-a-mate service. As it’s not fair to have a birthday in January, the fair online casino offered people born in January the opportunity to rent a fun celebrity to partner with. Applications closed at midnight on the 23rd January.”