West Ham United are thought to be in the transfer window for a new striker, however, they could be set to lose one of their most important players.
Marko Arnautovic’s agent, who is his brother Danijel, has hinted that the 29-year-old may leave the Hammers soon as he feels he needs to play for a top team.
Despite admitting that the Austria international loves being at the club and has a love for the fans, it is felt the attacker should be playing at a higher level and would not rule out the possibility of him leaving in January.
“He’s already playing in the Premier League and that’s where the best players are. But for a player like Marko this cannot be the end,” Danijel Arnautovic told Kurier
“He’s a big part of West Ham’s team but I think it’s possible to tease out more of him. For that to happen, he has to play for a top team. Marko is ready for the next step. A player like him should not play against relegation. He should play for the international spots.
“Marko is really enjoying playing for West Ham. He loves the club and the fans. But there is still that feeling, that this cannot be the end. And everybody should understand that.”
When asked about a January move, he added: “That’s possible. It was already very, very close this last summer.”
The Verdict:
West Ham will likely need to do all they can to keep Arnautovic at the club as he is an extremely vital player to their efforts and will be rocked should he leave the club.
It is only natural for a player of his ability to be wanting to test himself in football’s top competitions, so should a club come calling, it could be a difficult task for the Hammers to do.
It would not be wrong for Pellegrini to try and find a suitable replacement for the Austria international in January, just in case the worst does happen and a top club decides to come in for the 29-year-old.
West Ham fans – thoughts?
