West Ham are becoming increasingly confident that Marko Arnautovic will become an Iron this summer.
Having had one bid rejected, the board are continuing to pursue the left sided wideman and believe that Stoke will be ready to sell.
However, the player suffered what has been described as a knee injury in Stoke’s opening pre-season friendly and should a deal be done with The Potters he will face an intense medical before any move is completed.
The cynics have dubbed the injury “convenient” but that will not get in the way of Gary Lewin’s team giving Arnautovic the most thorough examination.
The Austrian is very much a Slaven Bilic pick who seems keen to play with two out and out widemen this season with Antonio on the other flank.
A figure of £15 million has been attached to the Hammers first bid and they are set to return with a new offer over the next couple of days.
We were told: “He’s a player we like and would like to sign and we believe there may well be a willingness from Stoke to do business but the medical will be very important should we get to that stage.”
Not convinced we need him unless snodgrass is definitely going and still leaves Ayew
What shape is billic looking for given Noble Obiang Ayew Lanzini Snodgrass Kuyoute Fernandez Cullen Fellughi Antonio already compete for midfield
10 midfielders already plus you could play either of left backs in left midfield yet no regualarly fit strikers
We need to prioritise where we spend
If they’re confident of Hernandez, or another central striker that we don’t know about yet, I’m not unhappy thinking about Arnautovic. I’m expecting Feghouli and Snodgrass to leave.
Arnautovic scored more than any of ours last year and created loads of chances.
Antonio on one wing, Arnautovic on the other and Hernandez in the middle sounds a decent strike force.
Sounds good Marko, but can you see Bilic playing with a 4-3-3 or 3-4-3 formation?
Even if he tried a 4-4-2 or a 3-5-2 a little longer, it might work better than using a lone-wolf striker.
Antonio and Amautovic could each score 15 goals/season, and Chicirato could hit 20 (=50 goals/season). If Lanzini and Papa N’Diaye could each grab 10, then there is your 70 goals for the season, which to my silly way of thinking will get you a top 4-6 finish, no matter how leaky the defense is. Romantic thinking, maybe, but this is why it is worth pulling out all stops to pay the wages for Little Pea!
Can’t understand trying to get Feghouli off the books . He was improving with every game towards the end of last season ,, why throw a good prospect away . The whole thing is getting to smell bad . Unless we have a good strong signing or two we will struggle yet again . I can’t discount the possibility of a sell up ., or the prospect of a big buyer willing to make massive changes . Messrs Sullivan & Gold have yet to convince me of Thier true ambitions and desires .
He is hardly a prospect when he is going to be 28 this year.
And I suppose you think West Ham United are full of Prospective Ambition , Gareth .
At 28 he is hardly over the hill . In fact he has still to climb it .
But not letting the younger players in our Club set foot on the lowlands is to my mind negative and backward thinking .
How old was Bobby Moore when he debuted for the Hammers ?? .
Ask David Gold .
Surely if they want to sell then the team has to strong, a weak team would be worth less.
Well i guess the idea is that Arnautovic will come in if not another and Antonio can revert to the right flank.None of us know what is really going on so hysterically second guessing achieves nowt.
A company with a massive payroll is not a sellable item . First thing you do is cut the workforce and have a clean up . Then it becomes saleable . Pure mathematics .
Need to get this signing over the line, pay up the extra £5/10m it takes.
If we want to play with the big boys we have to start acting like one & accept that the better players cost more. £15/22m approx won’t usually get you player of these standards unless they are past their best & after a last big payday.