BBC Sport pundit Ian Wright has slaughtered Marko Arnautovic and insisted he already is heading out of the exit door at West Ham.
The former striker is convinced that the Austria international is leaving this month and claims the Hammers are better off rid of a troublemaker.
The BBC report West Ham have rejected a £35million bid for the striker and the Times claim an increased offer of £45million is imminent.
“I think he’ll be a problem and I think that’s what’s happened at Stoke,” Wright said of Arnautovic to Radio Five Live’s Monday Night Club, as quoted by the BBC Sport site. “He’s been a problem most of the places he’s been. He wants to go – I’d let him go.
“You could see the way he came off the pitch on Saturday, he’s gone, he wants to go and I would let him go because I think West Ham have got something going.
“You look at his pattern and it always seems to be a little bit abrasive when he’s leaving. When it’s to go it’s just bang, out. Abrasive.”
OPINION
Strong words from Wright. His claim that Arnautovic has one leg out of the exit at the London Stadium is hard to dispute, even if there could be some extensive negotiations before a deal is sealed at the end of January. Transfers of up to £50million in the January window are not ones that can easily be signed and sealed. That said, the striker dropped a big hint with his waving to the crowd last Saturday that he was making his farewells. One claim of Wright’s that should perhaps be questioned is that Arnautovic always leaves a mess behind when he moves clubs. The pundit’s apparent justification for this is that Stoke were upset at the manner of his departure. Really? Ex-manager Mark Hughes spoke warmly of Arnautovic when he left, and £24million for a player whose talent had shone intermittently at the Bet365 Stadium appeared a good bit of business. The big Austrian is clearly a bit temperamental, but Wright has gone well overboard with his comments.