West Ham's Carroll out four months after suffering left ankle injury
West Ham United have suffered a major blow heading into the new season, with Andy Carroll set to miss four months with ankle ligament damage.
The striker, 25, injured the joint during a Hammers training session on their preseason tour of New Zealand and will undergo surgery on Friday to correct the problem. Carroll was withdrawn from the squad to face Wellington Pheonix on Wednesday night, which they lost 2-1, after complaining of a sore left ankle and scans have revealed the extent of the damage -- which is significant.
West Ham previously released a statement saying Carroll would miss their remaining fixtures in New Zealand as a precautionary measure.
It read: "After assessment by the club's medical experts, it was decided to let Andy rest for both remaining games and receive intensive treatment to ensure he is fit for the start of the season. It should be clear that the affected area is not in any way associated with the previous injury he successfully overcame towards the end of last season."
Carroll moved to West Ham on loan from Liverpool initially, scoring seven goals in 24 appearances in the 2012-13 season before moving to Upton Park permanently that summer.
But he was plagued with injuries last term, missing the majority with a heel problem and playing just 16 times in all. West Ham's second and final game of the ongoing tour comes against Sydney FC in Wellington on Saturday.
