Andy Carroll may not recover from his heel injury in time for the opening day of the 2013/2014 Premier League season, according to Sam Allardyce.
The club-record signing picked up his injury in the 4-2 final day victory over Reading last season and is currently undergoing extensive rehab in order to get back to full fitness as quickly as possible.
But Allardyce has admitted that it is unlikely that Carroll, and fellow team mate George McCartney, will be ready to feature against Cardiff City at the Boleyn Ground on 17 August.
He told whufc.com: “Andy is still recovering. He has got four weeks or more to go before he starts full training.
“His rehab is going pretty well at the moment and he will be joining us in Germany, and hopefully he will be available, as will George McCartney, as quickly as possible.”
And Allardyce also stressed that both players will not be rushed back in to action, even if they do recover from their injuries in time for the start of the campaign.
“I hope it will be before September for both of them, but being fit and being ready to play are two different things,” he said.
“If we are going to put our lads through six-weeks of preparation and then Andy gets fit with two days to go, you would not expect us to play him, would you?”
