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Andy Carroll has ended weeks of speculation by finally putting pen-to-paper on a six-year deal at Upton Park, the club have confirmed.

West Ham had a £15million offer accepted by Liverpool last month but were made to wait for Carroll to return from him pre-season holiday for a decision on whether he was happy to remain in East London. The deal is also thought to include around £5million in add-ons should the Hammers win some silverware or achieve European football.

The 24-year-old returned from his holiday in the States earlier this week and underwent a medical on Tuesday night before signing his contract, which is thought to be worth around £80,000-a-week.

Carroll, who will wear the No.9 shirt next season, told whufc.com: It’s fantastic for me to be here. I really enjoyed last season, and that shows in me coming back and making it permanent.

“The fans, the lads and the Club itself has been great to me, and what I wanted to do was come back here and play football. Since the end of the season I’ve had a lot of time to think, I’ve missed it and that’s why I’m back. Getting promoted the season before last, then finishing where we did, we did great and it can only get better for us.

“The way the club is being run, obviously getting the new stadium and everything like that, it’s only going up.”

The England striker scored seven goals in 24 Premier League appearances while on a season-long loan spell last season and his fantastic work ethic and enthusiasm won the hearts of the Hammers faithful.

Manager Sam Allardyce and co-owner David Gold had both made it no secret that signing Andy Carroll was their biggest priority this summer as they begin preparing for their move to the Olympic Stadium and another season in the Premier League.

A source close to SportsDirectNews.com also said before Carroll’s signing was officially announced: “It’s a fantastic moment in the club’s history – we are moving forward and have no intentions of being the poor relation of London Premier League football.

“We intend to become as big as Chelsea, Spurs and Arsenal and will achieve it as we move on towards the Olympic Stadium.”

As expected, the club announced Carroll’s permanent arrival with him proudly wearing the club’s new Adidas home shirt, which wasn’t scheduled to be revealed until tomorrow.