The 24-year-old striker is set to pen a reported six-year deal with the Hammers, worth “£15.5m plus £2m extras” – and end a miserable two-and-half year spell as Reds player.

Carroll scored seven goals in 21 top-flight appearances for the Hammers last term after joining the east London outfit on a season-long loan from Liverpool in August.

And Hammers joint-chairman Gold, who has spoken of his desire to partner Carroll with Chelsea’s Romelu Lukaku, revealed the England international has successfully completed a medical on Tuesday evening.

We managed to bring Andy's medical forward to this evening and I am delighted to informed you that he has passed with flying colours.

— David Gold (@DavidGoldWHU) June 18, 2013

Carroll managed to score six top-flight goals in 44 Premier League appearances for the Reds after completing a club-record £35m move to the 18-time English champions from Newcastle United in January 2011.

The Gateshead-born striker, who scored 31 times in 81 games for the Magpies, is hoping to add to his nine England caps ahead of next summer’s World Cup in Brazil.

The midfielder made 17 appearances for Spurs after moving to north London from Schalke back in January, making two assists in the Premier League.

And the 22-year-old Germany international is targeting an improvement and is desperate to find the net for André Villas-Boas men next season.

“I hope I can improve my game more and more and get my first goal soon, because I’m still waiting for that. Maybe I’ll have to be patient on that one!

“Having said that, contributing to a win like the one against Manchester City means more than a goal.

“It’s my football, I love playing like that [like he did against City]. I know the fans appreciate hard work and giving everything for the shirt.”

Promotion last season was fantastic and he is a good coach. I think that’s why the club wanted him back for a second spell because they knew what he can achieve with the players they had.

Gary was my reserve team manager when I was at Cambridge United and he is a very calm character who talks to his players in a composed manner – he’s a lesser Arsène Wenger so to speak because he doesn’t lose his temper very often.

He will go under the radar in this competition, go about his business and is the type of man with the type of team that could surprise a few people in the latter stages if they get there.

First though they will have to deal with Southend United, who didn’t have a bad finish towards the end with a cup final and a top-half finish, and in Phil Brown, they have a more-extravagant manager with a point to prove.

Queens Park Rangers are the only relegated Premier League side in the first round and they are away to Exeter City but they will have to take this competition seriously, they have no choice.

They have to do something and get to the latter stages, not for the money, but for the pride of the individual footballer and the manger – the players themselves won’t be happy with how it ended last year and they will come out absolutely flying.

It might take a whole summer for Leicester City to get over what happened to them last season, getting pipped to the post by the smallest of margins, but their players should have the confidence they are good enough.

And likewise for Brighton, the disarray off the field is not a great start but honestly you would rather it be off the field than on it. Then again that can cause a domino effect so they need to get the manager and the hierarchy situation sorted out.

It is nice that the Capital One Cup is so open and that everybody has got a chance. All you need to do is put a run together, get the players clicking at the right time, get your best players performing at the right weekend and anything can happen.

Dion Dublin was speaking on behalf of credit card company Capital One, sponsor of The League Cup

The 29-year-old, making his second Premier League start for Manchester United, attempted an audacious chip after the Red Devils had been awarded a spot-kick with the champions trailing 2-1.

Saints veteran goalkeeper Kelvin Davis gratefully scooped the ball into his chest to deny Van Persie before the forward completed his hat-trick and sealed a 3-2 win in the 90th-minute at St Mary’s.

Despite United going on to win their 13th Premier League title, Van Persie, who scored 26 top-flight goals, revealed he is still haunted by his tame spot-kick last September.

“This was my first experience of United’s famous never-say-die attitude,” Van Persie told United’s website.

“It was a crazy match but we never gave up. I still think about the penalty I missed. I was so lucky to have a chance to make that mistake right by scoring another two goals.”

Van Persie sealed United’s 20th top-flight crown with his second hat-trick of the season in a 3-0 victory over Aston Villa in April, with his opener, a stunning volley from outside the area.

Describing the strike, the former Arsenal captain said: “It was instinct. I looked up and thought: ‘This ball is so nice, it’s too beautiful to take a touch’.”

The striker, who completed a controversial £24m switch to Old Trafford from Arsenal last summer, also heaped praise on the Untied supporters.

He added: “The whole season the fans have been unbelievable from my very first match at Old Trafford.”

The 25-year-old playmaker, who moved to Stamford Bridge from Valencia back in 2011, was voted Chelsea’s player of the season after scoring 20 goals and making 35 assists for the Blues last term.

And Fàbregas said: “In the last two years for me Mata has been among the top three players in the Premier League.

“A lot of what Chelsea have won in that time has been largely thanks to him.”

Despite his impressive form, Mata has been the subject of speculation linking him with a transfer away from Chelsea this summer following the arrival of José Mourinho earlier this month.

However, Mata last weekend insisted that he does not know where the rumours emerged from, and says he wants to stay at Stamford Bridge.

“Nobody at Chelsea has told me that Mourinho wants me out,” Mata told Marca. “When I finished the season I was told that they were very happy with my performances and with the two years I’ve spent with the club.

“I have three years left on my contract. I’m very happy with Chelsea. Mourinho? I’d prefer to wait until I meet him and work with him before I judge him. That’s simple logic.”

Bale’s future has been a constant source of speculation since the end of the season, with Real Madrid reportedly plotting a big-money bid for the 23-year-old.

The PFA player of the year has also been linked with a switch to Manchester United after scoring 21 Premier League goals for Spurs last season.

But former Arsenal captain Fàbregas believes that Los Blancos would be making a mistake in attempting to buy Bale for world-record transfer fee.

“For me, it seems foolish to pay €100m for Gareth Bale,” Fàbregas told AS.

“I don’t know how any club could spend that amount of money in these circumstances.

“He is a great player with all the right attributes, but we will have to see if Madrid sign him and if he can perform there.”

But despite the 5-0 loss to Swansea in the final, it was actually that defeat that spurred them on to promotion from League Two.

Even though it looked like a hammering at Wembley in February, it was actually a moral victory for Bradford.

It’s devastating at the time to lose, but it was a day out for the club and it will never be repeated.

The cup run did hinder their season at first, they had to play an incredible amount of games last season, but then it seemed to galvanise them because they put a great league run together and it came from the spirit and belief garnered from that incredible cup run.

It was over a decade ago that I was at Bradford and they were in the Premier League. A lot of people focus on the demise of Leeds – from the semi-finals of the Champions League to the Championship – but Bradford’s fall is as catastrophic, if not more so.

When you cast your mind back at the heady days of the Premier League and little old Bradford surviving against all the odds, it’s hard to believe before last season’s promotion they were often just outside the relegation places of League Two, so nearly out of the Football League altogether.

It just shows that you can’t take anything for granted, but out of adversity came a remarkable season and Phil Parkinson will be looking to do something similar again.

It will be a tough game in the first round against Huddersfield Town, only if you have played in this game do you realise how vociferous and volatile this game is.

The close proximity of Huddersfield and Bradford makes it special to the fans, it’s certainly not a game for any shrinking violets.

It’s a tough one to go to Huddersfield and get a result, but Bradford have proved last year that they can cope with pressure, they saw off three Premier League teams in Wigan, Arsenal and Aston Villa.

It’s a competition that has always endeared itself to the players, with many of the fixtures being midweek it’s certainly held in very high esteem, and if Bradford can go to Huddersfield and quieten the crowd, why can’t they embark on another Capital One Cup run?

Peter Beagrie was speaking on behalf of credit card company Capital One, sponsor of The League Cup

The Netherlands international, who was nominated for the PFA player of the year award, scored 26 top-flight goals as the striker played a big part in United’s title-winning campaign.

It was Van Persie’s first league title, and the 29-year-old hopes the Red Devils can push on and secure further success in the coming season under new boss David Moyes.

“It’s great but the road to the trophy is maybe even nicer,” Van Persie told United’s website.

“Being together every day and working on details, getting better step-by-step, beating opponents and then at the end of all that is the result and the trophy.”

He added: “It’s been an honour and I’m still thrilled about what’s happened in the last 10 months or so.

“Hopefully we can do even better, crack on and win even more trophies.”

Former Arsenal captain Van Persie completed a controversial £24m move to United from the Gunners in August 2012.

The Reds were reported to have submitted a £6m offer for the 20-year-old forward as Brendan Rodgers looks to strengthen his side in a bid to secure a top-four finish next season.

The Spain Under-21 international impressed during a season-long loan at Barcelona B last term, with the winger scoring 11 goals and making 17 assists in 37 appearances.

But Verdejo indicated Sevilla were holding out for a bigger offer as Liverpool look to make Alberto their third summer signing following Kolo Touré’s arrival and agreeing a deal for Iago Aspas in priciniple.

“Is it a good deal to sell him for the figures they speak of? The offer we have on the table is a very good one with respect to where Luis is currently,” Verdejo said.

“We don’t know what will happen in the future. To date, we haven’t accepted the offer.”

On Saturday, Alberto’s agent confirmed Liverpool were interested in signing the Sevilla striker amid speculation Luis Suárez could leave Anfield for Real Madrid.

“The reports about Liverpool’s interest are true, they are very interested,” he told the Spanish media.

“There have been talks, and if a good offer comes a deal will be found.”

The 26-year-old playmaker has been linked with a return to Arsenal, as well as a switch to Premier League champions Manchester United, in recent weeks.

However, the Spain international has once again poured cold water on claims suggesting he is unhappy at Barcelona by insisting that he wants to stay at Camp Nou.

“There are people that speak a lot and the truth is that no-one has spoken with me,” said Fàbregas.

“I want to triumph in Barcelona, which is my home and the club I always dreamed of playing for, and I will try and succeed there as long as I can.”

Fàbregas left Arsenal for Barcelona in the summer 2011 and still has three years left to run on his contract with the newly-crowned La Liga champions.

The midfielder scored 11 goals in 32 Primera División appearances for the Catalan outfit last season.