Andy Carroll leaves Liverpool to join West Ham United on season-long loan deal

Liverpool striker Andy Carroll has joined West Ham United on a year's loan after the striker reluctantly accepted his best chance of playing regular football this season was to leave Anfield.

Carroll's exit heralded the start of a hectic final 24 hours in the transfer window at Anfield.

He underwent a medical at Upton Park on Thursday night, but there will be no guarantee of a permanent deal at the end of his spell in London after Liverpool agreed to amend the terms of an earlier offer. There will now only be an option to buy the player rather than a commitment to do so.

The softening of Carroll's stance was key to the opening of fresh talks between Liverpool and West Ham. He originally wanted to stay, but having been left out of the squad for the Europa League qualifier with Hearts on Thursday, the 23 year-old opened up to the possibility of a move to Upton Park.

Carroll's position shifted after he was left in no uncertain terms that his career could stagnate on Merseyside.

Last night, Carroll said: "I want to be playing games and obviously hoping to score some goals. I know the manager well and some of the lads, so it is nice for me to come to a place where I know people.

"I'm hoping to add a lot of goals and create a few chances. I know Sam from Newcastle and he was a massive reason for me coming. When I worked with him at Newcastle it was great so it was a no-brainer really."

Allardyce added: "I think for all parties this is a great signing. Andy is an all-round footballer, but because he is 6ft 3in and one of his strengths is his aerial power, everybody dismisses the ability he possesses on the floor.

"Hopefully he can score goals for us and we will be in a very good position at the end of the year in the Barclays Premier League."

Carroll close friend, Kevin Nolan, is at Upton Park and he shares an agent with manager Sam Allardyce. His preference was to remain at Anfield and fight for his place, but Rodgers said Liverpool "couldn't afford to keep a £35 million striker on the bench".

The only complication was the terms of the deal. Since making their initial bid which would have led to a permanent £17 million deal if they avoided relegation, West Ham have invested in their squad, including the £11 million signing of Matt Jarvis from Wolves. They could no longer afford a commitment to sign Carroll at the end of the season, but Rodgers' willingness to remove the bulk of an £80,000 a week salary off his wage bill meant he was happy to renegotiate.

Rodgers said: "It is very simple: the club made a monumental investment in big Andy and at this moment in time he's not playing. He made it clear from when we first met in the summer that he wants to play games and obviously [with the window closing] this is the last chance for him to go and do that."

Liverpool added another teenager to their ranks on Thursday, signing 18-year-old German Youth International Samed Yesil from Bayer Leverkusen for £1 million.

Liverpool also expect Charlie Adam to leave for £5 million, with Stoke City the front-runners, while Jay Spearing could go out on loan. QPR, Bolton, Aston Villa and Southampton are all interested.

Fulham paved the way for Dempsey's departure by agreeing a £5 million deal for Manchester United's Dimitar Berbatov. Berbatov pulled out of a move to Serie A side Fiorentina, failing to attend a medical, in order to conclude his transfer to Craven Cottage.

"Berbatov is finishing his medical and if everything is good he will be one of our players," said Fulham manager Martin Jol, who worked with the Bulgarian during their time together at Tottenham.