OPINION
Jose Mourinho once described Marko Arnautovic as “a great guy” with “the mentality of a child” – and the ex-Manchester United boss has been proved completely right thanks to the West Ham forward’s latest antics.
Arnautovic’s agent and brother has cast major doubt on the 29-year-old’s future at the London Stadium by telling TalkSPORT that he wants the Hammers to cash in on him and allow him to join the unspecified Chinese club that has reportedly bid for him.
Danijel Arnautovic said: ““It is his great desire that West Ham accept the offer from China.”
Now, the Austria international’s agent wouldn’t be saying that without his client’s blessing would he?
It wouldn’t be the first time that the toxic attacker has rubbed his club up the wrong way anyway.
Back in 2010, Arnautovic was on loan from FC Twente at Mourinho’s Inter Milan.
He failed to turn his temporary stay at the San Siro into a permanent one having struggled to make an impact by appearing just three times in all competitions due to injury.
At the end of his loan, Mourinho, as quoted by the Manchester Evening News, admitted that he was frustrated by the attitude of the 29-year-old, comparing him to a child.
After leaving Inter, Arnautovic joined Werder Bremen.
He got plenty of game-time with the German club, but his time there was eventually marred by being suspended from the first team due to speeding offences (Sky Sports). Five months later he signed for Stoke.
Arnautovic had a mixed spell in the Potteries, but once again his time at the club ended when he handed in a transfer request so that he could join West Ham (Telegraph).
If it isn’t clear already, Arnautovic always seems to do something to rile his club up just before he leaves.
Whether it’s annoying his manager, being done for driving offences or handing in transfer requests, the Austrian forward has a way of leaving clubs on a bad note.
Is this his bad note at West Ham? Fans will be hope it’s not because he has played some of the best football of his career in East London.
However no player is bigger than the team and Arnautovic is hardly irreplaceable.
Now might be the right time to cash in on a player who has not done much growing up in the last nine years.