West Ham moved one step closer to completing the signing of Liverpool forward Andy Carroll, with the England international passing a medical.

Carroll's permanent move to West Ham has been a little protracted, but now it looks like only a matter of time before the switch is made official after the England international completed a medical on Tuesday successfully, with the London club earlier agreeing a fee with Liverpool believed to be around £15 million ($23 million).

Newcastle United were also thought to be interested in bringing back their former player, but reportedly refused to match the offer made by West Ham.

"We managed to bring Andy's medical forward to this evening and I am delighted to inform you that he has passed with flying colours," West Ham chairman David Gold wrote on his Twitter account.

Carroll, who is understood to have agreed a six-year deal, spent the entire last season on loan with the Hammers and manager Sam Allardyce had said earlier this month that his priority was to ensure the former Newcastle man would sign permanently.

"Our first priority is signing Andy Carroll, if we can," Allardyce said.

"We have nearly finished our planning for pre-season and the players have all had their training programmes given to them so when they come back on 1st July they are ready to go.

"Then it's about the recruitment of the other players who we want as quickly as possible. That will be the most difficult part of the summer."

Carroll will become West Ham's third signing of the summer, after having completed deals for Spanish goalkeeper Adrian and Romanian international Razvan Rat on free transfers.

Selling Andy Carroll will also give Liverpool funds to bring in further players, with Brendan Rodgers looking at Shakhtar Donetsk playmaker Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Sevilla forward Luis Alberto, among others.