West Ham United are breaking the bank to sign Liverpool striker Andy Carroll.

The Sun says they will fork out a whopping £44million to land dream striker Carroll.

Joint-chairman David Sullivan has now agreed to pay Liverpool a club-record £16m up front with a further £3m in add-ons to prove his commitment to the player - taking the deal to £19m.

Carroll will also be paid around £100,000 a week to smash the Hammers' pay barrier as their marquee signing.

The five-year deal would amount to more than £25m in wages for the big Geordie.

An insider said: "Carroll is weighing up the offer. He still fancies a top-five club or a return to Newcastle, where he has two children. So there is still a battle to sign him."