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Manuel Pellegrini may soon be able to call on the services of Andy Carroll, as the towering centre-forward completed 45 minutes in a friendly against Brentford.

The 6-foot-4 striker last featured for the Hammers in a nil-nil draw with Manchester United, but that came at the end of last season when David Moyes was still in charge.

Surgery to his ankle has kept the former England international in the physio’s room – adding to a tally of over 1,100 days injured at West Ham alone.

The frontman's fitness pursuit included featuring in a behind-closed-doors friendly on Thursday, playing 45 minutes as he neared a full return to action.

Check out Playmaker FC's Joe Street's unfiltered take on Wayne Rooney's England legacy in the video below...

The former Newcastle and Liverpool striker’s return did catch the attention of one Irons star in Michail Antonio, but it's Marko Arnautovic and Javier Hernandez who are currently ahead in the east London pecking order.

Next up for the Hammers is the visit of Manchester City on November 24, but not every fan is expecting Carroll to produce on his return…