ANDY CARROLL could have played in the Champions League knockout rounds this season – but failed a medical.
The striker, 33, was a free agent when his short-term contract with West Brom expired in the summer.
And while Club Brugge were willing to offer him a deal, they pulled out when they were unconvinced by his “insufficient” medical test results.
That blew Carroll’s chances of making his Champions League debut.
Now the Belgian giants are heading into the knockout stages of the tournament for the first time since its rebrand in 1992.
Brugge finished second in Group B behind Porto but ahead of Bayer Leverkusen and Atletico Madrid, who ended up with the wooden spoon.
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Carl Hoefkens’ side won their first three matches this season without conceding a goal – including 4-0 away at Porto – and added two further 0-0 draws to qualify.
But they had two-goal hero Ferran Jutgla up front – instead of the former £35million Liverpool flop.
Instead, Carroll rejoined Championship side Reading in September on a four-month contract – taking the No2 shirt.
He has scored twice in eight appearances in the second tier – rather than competing at Europe’s top table.
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Carroll has struggled with various injury issues throughout his career which have had a significant impact on his fitness levels.
He has not made more than 20 league appearances in a season since 2015-16, when he was playing for West Ham.
The former England international left his honeymoon in Mexico to hold talks with Brugge, but then had to resume his search for a new club.
Carroll married reality TV star Billi Mucklow earlier this year before jetting across the world.
However, just weeks before the pair were due to tie the knot he was pictured in bed with two women after a night of drinking on his stag do in Dubai.
The Sun revealed how Billi was left devastated, telling pals she was in “no mood” to get married.
But the pair reconciled before the big ceremony in Hampshire.
