Stoke have stuck an asking price of £22.5million on the head of Marko Arnautovic amid interest from West Ham, according to the Daily Mail.
The newspaper report on their website that the figure has been set as it means that the Potters will pocket over £20million from the transfer as 10 per cent of the transfer fee is due to go on external payments such as fees for agents.
It is claimed that Stoke boss Mark Hughes will then target three new players with the funds, with the priority being at centre-back and in midfield.
The asking price means that West Ham are just £2.5million away from securing the services of the 6ft 4in winger, having reportedly seen a £20million bid rejected last week.
Keen on a move to the London club, Arnautovic has reportedly handed in a transfer request to try and force a move through, despite being contracted at the club until 2020 having signed an extension last July.
However, Stoke’s valuation of the 62-cap Austrian international would mean that the Hammers would have to break their transfer record for the second successive summer, after Andre Ayew joined last year in a £20.5million move.
Since joining from Werder Bremen in 2013 for £2million, Arnautovic has gone on to make 145 appearances for the Potters, scoring 26 goals and providing 32 assists across all competitions.