According to Sky Sports, West Ham have rejected a bid of around £19.7million for Austrian forward Marko Arnautovic from an unnamed Chinese club. Understandably, the Hammers have dismissed the bid as ‘insulting’.
The same report suggests that the forward also handed in a transfer request on Tuesday, but the club claim they have received a transfer request. The 30-year-old’s situation is turning into a circus once again.
Arnautovic wants to move on
It seems that Arnautovic now wants to leave the club from the English capital. The forward was the subject of a big-money bid from a Chinese club in the January transfer.
However, the Hammers turned down the offer, despite the fact that the forward was obviously keen on a lucrative move to the Chinese Super League. Then, in a rather strange move, he signed a new lucrative contract worth £100,000 per week.
It is not hard what first attracted him to the chance of joining the millionaires and billionaires in China. The money on offer in the Far East is simply ridiculous. One recent big example is former Newcastle boss Rafa Benitez joining Dalian Yifang on a deal reported to be worth £12million per-year.
Arnautovic’s brother Danijel weighed in on the forward’s future by telling Sky Sports: “He’s not a cow or a horse which you bring to market,”
“He’s a highly talented footballer who is simply being used by West Ham. He’s just a number to them.
“West Ham were trying to get rid of Marco right up until the last minute of the January transfer window and they are still trying to sell him right now. To them, he’s just a commodity.
“West Ham are still speaking to the Chinese club. He is still for sale and it’s simply a case of how much money West Ham can get for him.”
Arnautovic is no major loss at the minute
If what his brother says is correct it seems that it is only a matter of time before the forward leaves. In truth, I am not sure he will be that much of a loss to the Hammers. No doubt on his day Arnautovic is a ‘highly talented football’ as his brother describes him. However, the experienced forward is extremely inconsistent. He is the definition of mercurial.
When everything is going his way, he Arnautovic would grace most teams in the top-flight. However, if he is not in the mood, then the team suffers and he tends to drift out of games.
A record of 22 goals in 65 appearances since joining from Stoke is a respectable one. However, from the outside looking it seems that Arnautovic is more trouble than he is worth. If he does not move on this summer, then we will only have the same situation in the January transfer window.
West Ham aiming for the top-half next season
A situation like is never good for a team’s preparations for a new season. The Hammers have already signed highly-rated attacking midfielder Pablo Fornals from Villarreal and will no doubt strengthen further this summer.
West Ham’s aim is likely to finish in the top half of the table next season, which they are odds of 5/4 to achieve. To finish in the top-ten they will need to bring in a new striker.
Andy Carroll left the club after his contract expired and Mexican forward Javier Hernandez is also being linked with a move elsewhere. If Arnautovic leaves, that will mean that the Hammers are very little up front.
And sell Arnautovic West Ham must, because quite frankly the Irons fans must be sick of the whole drama surrounding the former Inter forward. The quicker he leaves, then the quicker Manuel Pellegrini can bring in a replacement.
Will Mark Arnautovic leave West Ham this summer?
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