West Ham United remain favourites to sign Liverpool striker Andy Carroll.

The Hammers have had a £15 million offer accepted by Liverpool, but Carroll is delaying committing to the transfer.

Carroll, who has also asked the Hammers for wages of £100,000 a week, is stalling on a final decision in the hope that Newcastle will come in for him.

St James' Park boss Alan Pardew would love to pair Carroll with his only top-line forward Papiss Cisse but the Newcastle board are not prepared to offer more than £10m, says the Daily Express.

Liverpool refuse to contemplate any business unless the Geordies raise the stakes in the knowledge that they already have a £15m offer lying on the table from West Ham.