Peter Crouch has claimed that West Ham pair Marko Arnautovic and Samir Nasri strike fear into the hearts of opponents.
Writing in the Daily Mail, the Stoke City striker has been blown away by the combination of the big-name attacking duo and predicts they can make a huge impact if Arnautovic does not move to China.
Crouch delivered an upbeat verdict on West Ham after their impressive 1-0 win against Arsenal in the Premier League last weekend.
“What excites me about West Ham is the combination of Samir Nasri and Marko Arnautovic,” Crouch told the Mail. “I regard Marko highly and it does not surprise me that he struck up an instant understanding with Nasri.
“Eyebrows were raised by the decision to sign Nasri and you could understand why. He was suspended for a long time and people will have wondered how he was mentally and physically on his return to English football.
“One thing that was never in doubt, however, was his ability. He’s got the flair and skill that West Ham fans love and he could go down a storm, but it is crucial they keep Marko. His head will have been turned by the interest from China but if West Ham turn it back, they will have a fearsome duo.”
OPINION
Every West Ham fan will be reading Crouch’s comments with a mixture of pride, excitement and dread. While it is wonderful that such a respected and experienced player is drooling over the Hammers, one of the two players is trying to engineer an exit in the next fortnight and the other is on a short-term contract that expires at the end of the season. Certainly, West Ham appear to be in a losing battle to keep Arnautovic, who is doing all he can publicly and privately to get a moneyspinning move to China. It would be a surprise if he is still at the London Stadium on 1 February. As for Nasri, he has done brilliantly to get into shape after 18 months out due to a drug’s ban, but he is also temperamental and has never had a reputation for being a great club man. It is a shame that two such fine players view West Ham as a mere stepping stone, rather than a final destination. Irons should just enjoy them while they can.