According to The Daily Star, West Ham have categorically ruled out star striker Marko Arnautović leaving the club in January. 

This comes after the forward's brother, Danijel, said that the Austria international wanted to move away from the London Stadium in search of Champions League football. While the player is still on good terms with the club, things could turn sour very quickly.

It is understandable why West Ham ruled out a move for the 6ft 4 forward; he has undeniably been The Hammers' best player since joining from Stoke last summer. He won Hammer of the Year last season, and is probably the frontrunner to reclaim that gong at the end of the season in truth.

But football has a long and troubled history of players' relationships with their clubs taking a turn for the worse when they want to leave. If the club blocks the move, the player eventually becomes apathetic, and is a wholly negative influence on the entire team. West Ham just cannot afford to let that happen, particularly as they are not in the safest of situations at the moment.

While he may not leave in January, West Ham have to accept that Arnautović may be gone come the end of the season, and this must be known to the player. He has been prone to being temperamental in the past, and The Irons wouldn't really want to upset him, given the form that he is in at the moment. It's a sad reality, but if he has his mind set on moving, owners David Gold and David Sullivan have to accept that, and know that they don't gain a lot from keeping him.