Andy Carroll future at Newcastle plunged into doubt over medical mystery

Andy Carroll's long term future at Newcastle has been thrown into doubt by a lingering undiagnosed hip injury.

Steve Bruce today admitted “frustration and concern” over the extent of Carroll's problem.

The striker has been out for five games with pain that Newcastle have been unable to pin down and cure.

Bruce conceding he has played a “cruel hand” on injuries during his career.

The medical mystery has thrown a cloud over the summer recruitment of the ex Liverpool and West Ham star, whose comeback date is now unknown.

The injury puts Carroll's hope of a new deal with Newcastle on hold. Bruce was keen to have him stay when his one year deal ends in June.

He is on a pay as he plays deal believed to be around £20k a week when he is unavailable, and around £70k when he contributes.

Asked about his future, Bruce added: “The big thing is to get him fit and see. Let’s hope we can get him right.”

Carroll proved an asset when starting games in December, but has not figured since January 14 against Rochdale.

The 31-year-old's career has been blighted by injury and the only solace is that his ankle injury, which needed two operations last season, is not holding him back.

Bruce has Joelinton fit after his own rib problem for the trip to Arsenal on Sunday. January new signings Danny Rose, Valentino Lazaro and Nabil Bentaleb could all start.

But Bruce conceded: “Andy is still not right, which is a concern for us going forward.

“The frustration for us all is that just as we thought we were getting Andy back he volleyed a ball in training and hasn’t been the same. We haven’t been able to get a diagnosis for him, which is a frustration for everybody.

“The big thing is that his ankle is okay, but it’s frustrating for all of us, especially Andy, who is disappointed over something you think is nothing. But then again, they are sometimes the complicated ones.

“I don’t think it’s actually the hip itself. If I knew what it was…but it’s not hip in terms of his actual hip.

“Unfortunately, Andy has been dealt a cruel hand, and certain players go through their careers like that. Andy has certainly been unfortunate to have been one of them.

“He’s a strong-minded individual and tough mentally, and I suppose he’s had to be. However, even as tough as you are mentally, it affects you if you can’t play.

“If there’s an ongoing cycle, it becomes frustrating and disappointing for everybody, and of course for Andy, it’s the worst scenario because just as he was getting to where we all wanted him to be, he jumped for a ball against Everton , and really hasn’t recovered.

“He gets to a certain level with his rehabilitation and he’s still not right. It’s a big frustration.

“There was a time before Christmas where he started a few games and that’s exactly why we brought him into the club.

“Unfortunately he’s picked up this injury, which has drifted into five or six weeks when we expected it to be ten days.

“We’re not putting a timescale on it now, it’s just the way it is.”