Marko Arnautovic has thrown one of the biggest curved balls in recent football history by declaring that he is staying at West Ham.
In a personal message starting ‘Dear West Ham Fans‘ he has defied all our beliefs by saying that he wants to repay the club for pointing his career in the right direction.”
It’s an incredible turnabout by the player who appeared to have waved goodbye to the fans on his last appearance.
And after failing to appear last weekend at Bournemouth because he wasn’t “in the right frame of mind” it seemed a total given that he was on his way.
All the indications today were that the Chinese had come in with an improved offer and the grapevine was declaring that Maxi Gomez would be brought in before the end of the window to replace Marko.
Instead the Austrian has made it crystal clear he’s staying declaring in his statement that he wants to help lead the Irons as high up the table as he can.
The more cynical may feel that this could be a face saving exercise after the Chinese failed to budge from their initial €40 million initial offer.
However, none of us will be unduly worried by that and are likely to forgive and forget the man after today’s Instagram statement.
Well then……let’s just get on with it after three weeks of bull
It’s not April the first is it? Stuart Pearce was right then. I think he said this would happen and Arnie would end up staying at West Ham, possibly on an improved contract. He said it either on the debate tv show or talkSPORT, I can’t remember which but it was about a week or more ago.
“Bearing in mind they paid £25 million for him, they are talking £36 million, I wouldn’t take that,” Pearce told Sky Sports’ The Debate Show on 15/01/2019 at 10:55 pm.
“I think he will end up signing a new contract, a more lucrative contract to stay at West Ham.”
Makes you wonder if he knew something doesn’t it.
I still think he will be off in the summer if a bid for 50 million plus comes in. I guess the plan is for him to put himself in the shop window for the rest of this season.
Why not forgive him if he gives his beat he’s a great player . Let’s be honest we loved him before all the rumours started and we will again. Let’s go out there and win lots more matches. COYI ⚒
Speak for yourself fella.
He’s a decent player, but not the world-beater some are making him out to be.
Goals per game, Anderson isn’t far behind playing on the wing.
I know which of the two I’d rather keep.
Seeking a move through his brother, and citing some bulls**t reason?
Should’ve let him go and found a player that actually wants to wear the colours.
Spot on!
I’m sorry but the cynic in me doesn’t swallow this pledge of allegiance.Get the best out of him until season’s end and then be prepared to sell him.The brother is the worrying factor in all of this and always will be.I am sure the brother has a plan B as well.
Dead to me. Score goals and then did off pal.
Great news!
Of course this is a different situation that if it was, say, Mark Noble. But the fact that he has now come out and said something is encouraging. I don’t think anyone is naive enough to think that Arnie would spend the remainder of his career at West Ham, but it’s good at least that he has said something, and said that, even if only in the short term, he is prepared to stay. Let’s get behind him for the rest of this season, and let what happens in the summer take care of itself.
Well I didn’t see that coming, lets see how he performs, its a very grown up response and an honest assessment of his situation, now lets sign Gomez so he has someone equally hungry alongside COYI !!!
His poor brother must be inconsolable! Keep an eye on him Arnie, hate to think of him doing something silly ar this devastating news
Yawn yawn yawn Arnie, a bit too late for all this now, you were our worst player against Arsenal and withdrew your services last week, you speak pretty good English mate but somewhere you’ve lost the meaning of the word ‘professional’.
I urge the Board to get rid of him as soon as it’s convenient for the club.
I have no issue with Arne what so ever. He was doing what any of us would do. If I was earning 50k a year and I applied for a job that was paying 75k a year and I was offered it, I don’t think anyone would give out if I accepted that offer. Equally if I did not get offered the job, I would still get on with my current job. So lets move on, stop talking about it and let Arne get back to doing what he does well. I would just love West Ham to have bought Gomez, maybe they will, can always dream.
only his brother will yet again spoil it that i promise you with his no class attitude will be Markos undoing. i,m sorry but wont forget but maybe forgive
hey thats my take on it
i live in stoke and know what a player this guy was here and also know how high his brother will and can do the dirty on devout fans because of money and will do it again that i promise.
. its only my opinion
Good sense from johnham1 above. Calm down everybody & let it go. He is not prepared to give his life for us (so what) but he sounds ready to do his best (which is pretty good) for us for he rest of the season. At his age he was never the future of this club if it does want to progress, so we get what we can out of him for now (& he gets well paid). What’s wrong with that? I have no idea whether Gomes is our future, but the aim going forward has to be recruiting younger, hungry, players with potential.