(via Getty Images)
There now seem to be minimum doubt that Marko Arnautovic will be a part of the West Ham squad next season.
He and Michail Antonio have formed a fearsome partnership which has been the key to our end of season and right now the Chinese affair seems well behind him.
Instead we have seen a committed Arnie over the last few games and recent comments from him, the manager, and now captain Mark Noble seem to suggest he is ready to stay at the club.
Fan reaction has played its part with the Austrian learning a big lesson that you don’t mix it with Hammers loyalists who demand 100 per cent commitment from every player at the club.
The alternative is to suffer the sort of lash back the striker received after he and his brother took us through a destabilising January – now thankfully a thing of the past after his recent goals and form revival.
Noble – quoted in the Evening Standard -said : “Have you noticed the change in him since January – well obviously I have.
“It is important, of course, [that West Ham keep Arnautovic this summer]. He is a top player and you can see that when he is back on his game.
“I am hoping, but I think he will be here with us next season.
“He is a top, top player when he is at it. Obviously he went through a bit of tough patch, but all in all, he has been massive for us this season and I am pretty sure he will be [key to our efforts] again next season.”
