Marko Arnautovic was interviewed after the Austrian international game but refused to discuss recent speculation about wanting Champions League football.
He told Sky Sports cameras “I don’t want to talk about it, I concentrate on West Ham, We have a big game against Man City and I think this game and next games what they are talking, my agents and the clubs, I don’t know, it is not my business.
My business is to perform on the pitch, to put a performance in, that’s what I want to do!”
Claret and Hugh says: So Arnie has decided that talk of a move away from the club is not what he describes as “his business.” Earlier, however, he had described stories that his brother/agent had asked for £200,000 a week as “b……t.” We understand that when reports emerge it’s hard to stop them but it doesn’t seem to us that this response to Sky Sports takes anybody very much further forward other than to say there appears to be some truth in the situation. Let’s be honest, it’s an easy one to deny if you wish to. So what we have here is neither a denial or admission. He has already explained that he puts his trust in his brother and wants to focus on his life on the pitch. The Hammers have made it clear they cannot stump up a £200k a week wage and a ClaretandHugh poll showed over two-thirds of the fans voting agreed with their position. Arnie has been left in a position where there’s not a great deal he can say so little realism in any negotiations which will now perhaps take place would be a good idea.
I was watching a YouTube video by West Ham fan tv and they said Arnie had said on Instagram that the 200k story was something that comes out of a bulls rear end. In other words, speculative fiction cooked up by journalists.
And he told sky sports
“I don’t want to talk about it. I am concentrated on West Ham,”
“We have a big game against Manchester City on Saturday and I am only thinking about this game and the following games and what is being said is not my business.
“My business is to perform on the pitch, to put in performances and that is what I want to do.”
So I don’t know how much more Arnie can say on the subject personally. It’s obvious if a champions league team came in for him he would probably want to go as would most players nowadays. And stands to reason his agent and brother would push for that. There’s no loyalty in that way anymore. He’s a not a one club man. Mark nobles are rare commodities these days. And maybe that’s because nobes knows where he’s best off having never played for the full England team he was hardly going to be sought after by a champions league outfit either.
This is the situation that will keep going on until either mega rich owners have bought us out,or the present owners stump up the necessary funds to be able to compete with the bigger clubs on wages.
Loyalty doesn’t come in to the equation now,so I can’t see the board we have having the required outlay to maintain a top six outfit,nor are we the best investment for a prospective buyer who has no affiliation with us.I expect by the summer Arnie and young Declan to go,I hope I’m wrong but that’s the way it looks.COYI