Records tumble as Andy Carroll fetches £35m and Fernando Torres goes for £50m

The fact that the Magpies pocketed 35million for the 22-year-old, who is currently playing his first full season of Barclays Premier League football, may have eased the pain, but it left Pardew with a yawning gap to plug.

Pardew moved quickly to tie up Aston Villa midfielder Stephen Ireland on a loan deal, but while he will be a valuable addition to the squad, the Irishman will not be the focal point of the team, as Carroll was.

Newcastle also had a last-ditch bid for winger and Magpies old boy Charles N'Zogbia rejected by Wigan.

Sources on Tyneside were quick to pour cold water on speculation that the likes of Carlton Cole, Emile Heskey or Peter Crouch could be brought in to replace Carroll. That leaves Shola Ameobi, whose career has been repeatedly interrupted by injury, Leon Best, Peter Lovenkrands and Nile Ranger to carry the fight for the remaining points the Magpies need to secure their top-flight status, and just how big a gamble that represents remains to be seen.

It may be some comfort to Pardew that Carroll has not played this calendar year because of a torn thigh muscle, but his team remain unbeaten in the league in 2011 and have taken eight points from a possible 12.

He was happy to have landed Ireland as a chaotic day reached its conclusion. Pardew said: "Stephen has shown over the past few seasons that he's a real top player, so we are really pleased to have got him until the end of the season.

He can create chances for others and score goals himself, and we think he can be a big factor for us in the second part of this season.

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"I think Stephen feels he can deliver more than he's shown at Villa so far, so he's got a point to prove and I believe we can reap the benefits of that."

Ireland made his Villa debut after an 8million summer switch from Manchester City at St James' on 21 August, and left on the wrong end of a 6-0 drubbing in which Carroll plundered a hat-trick.

That was perhaps the day when it dawned that the Gateshead-born frontman might just be the real thing, but his rise since, which was rewarded with a new five-year contract in October last year and a first senior England cap the following month, has been little short of meteoric.Carroll's form has been such that worried fans have spent the last few weeks keeping their fingers crossed that owner Mike Ashley would not be tempted to cash in on his prize asset.

There was relief at the weekend when it emerged that the sportswear magnate had rejected an offer from long-term admirers Tottenham, with the club insisting, in line with Pardew's repeated claims, that the striker was simply not for sale.

Liverpool's interest once it was formalised was met with a similar response when an initial bid of 30million bid was rejected, and there was great rejoicing when a second, improved offer was similarly dismissed.

However, it soon emerged that the club had received and accepted a transfer request from the player, setting the wheels in motion for Fernando Torres' departure to Chelsea, and the shattering news was eventually confirmed in a club statement.

The Newcastle statement read: "A British record transfer fee has been agreed between Newcastle United and Liverpool for Magpies striker Andy Carroll.

"The 22-year-old England international has this afternoon handed in a transfer request, which has reluctantly been accepted by the club, and Carroll is currently in talks with the Reds over a move to Anfield."

Ashley has made unpopular decisions during his time on Tyneside, and while the Magpies insist Carroll ultimately asked for the move, there is certain to be a backlash as fans try to come to terms with life without a man they had hoped would be their new local hero.

Meanwhile, Liverpool finally agreed a fee with Chelsea for the sale of Spain striker Torres after days of speculation about the transfer.

Late last night the Spaniard, 26, agreed a five-and-half year contract to join the Stamford Bridge club, with the 50m fee once again breaking the British transfer fee record.