West Ham United manager Manuel Pellegrini has intimated that attackers Andy Carroll and Marko Arnautovic will both remain at the club this January.
There has been speculation about the future of both men in recent times, however, Pellegrini has provided a positive update on the two players.
“I don’t think so. He will return to be the player that we all know he can be,” he said at his pre match press conference on Friday when asked if Carroll will leave the London Stadium this month, as cited by Football London [12:32].
He also provided an update on Arnautovic: “I am sure he will stay with us, he is happy here,” he told the media.
OPINION
This is positive news from a West Ham fan’s perspective, particularly where Arnautovic is concerned. The Austrian gave a reminder of his quality when he scored two goals out of nowhere against Brighton & Hove Albion on Wednesday night. He remains arguably the most talented player at the club and it’s imperative that he remains in East London for the foreseeable future. The Carroll update is less important, really. The former Liverpool man isn’t a vital player for the Hammers – indeed, they managed without him for much of this season – and so it won’t make or break the team whether he remains at the club in January or not. Pellegrini obviously retains belief that Carroll can get back to where he once was, but he’s been out injured for so long that’s it’s hard to decipher what sort of player he ever was for West Ham or ever will be. Still, the rest of the season gives the club a chance to find out.