Anfield and St James' Park keen to swap troubled strikers.
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DEMBA BA & CARROLL SWAP
LIVERPOOL will lead the race for Demba Ba, with Newcastle ready to offload their unsettled striker in the January transfer window.
And that deal could result in another ssensational twist, as Newcastle boss Alan Pardew considers grabbing former Toon hero Andy Carroll, whose 335million move to Anfield has ended with him being shipped out on loan.
BaÂs representatives have been demanding a bigger pay packet than his current 550,000 a week.
And it is felt on Tyneside that the club have had enough of BaÂs pposturings, especially the threats of his agent Alex Gontran.
And Liverpool look favourites to cash in on the uncertainty by invoking a 77.5m get-out clause in BaÂs contract.
The Reds also have an option to recall Carroll, 23, from his loan period at West Ham in January.
And Newcastle would love to discuss bringing the pony-tailed striker back to the North East.
SOURCE: Daily Star Sunday
Talk of a possible deal seeing Andy Carroll and Demba Ba swap clubs emerged over the summer and seemed fanciful at best and ludicrous at worst but given the apparent breakdown in relationships between both players and their clubs there appears to be a little more mileage in this deal now.
Demba Ba is apparently unhappy about his wide attacking role and his pay packet and Alan Pardew has very publicly informed any interested party that the Senegal international's 77.5m release clause is still very much active, where many had assumed it had run out over the summer.
However that hasn't stopped the former West Ham man scoring goals for fun with the 27 year old netting six goals in six Premier League matches thus far this season.
Liverpool could well do with an effective attacking option to add to the relatively threadbare strike-force Brendan Rodgers currently has to call upon, namely Luis Suarez and unproven Italian Fabio Borini. Though the Anfield side paid 335m for Andy Carroll they may well consider a straight swap to lure Demba Ba to Merseyside a deal well worth pursuing.
A lot would depend on whether Liverpool's American owners would be willing to match Demba Ba's demands but this source appears to believe that Alan Pardew would be very much interested in welcoming back Carroll to St James' Park.