Newcastle United must cough up £17 million cash to re-sign Liverpool striker Andy Carroll.

The People says the Magpies are still keen to bring the England striker home but hopes of doing a swap deal ­involving mercurial midfielder Hatem Ben Arfa this summer are set to be dashed.

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers is an admirer of the gifted French ­international but Ben Arfa's injury problems means that the Anfield club won't take a chance on his fitness at this stage.

Toon owner Mike ­Ashley banked £35m from the sale of Carroll in January 2011 but is ­looking for a cut-price deal, ideally involving a part-exchange. But with the injury-prone Ben Arfa sidelined long term with a hamstring problem, ­Liverpool have put their interest in the former Marseilles man on hold.