West Ham have put a £40million valuation on wantaway striker Marko Arnautovic, according to the Sun.
That comes after it was reported that the Austrian forward has handed in another transfer request, despite signing a lucrative new contract in January.
West Ham have already rejected a £19.7million offer this summer and the Sun claims this is from Shanghai SIPG – they were named as one of the two clubs reportedly interested in January when West Ham rejected a £35million offer for their forward.
The Sun also claims that it’s likely that West Ham would accept as little as £30million this summer to move Arnautovic on.
VERDICT
Arnie has surely burnt his bridges at West Ham now. He obviously wants to go and despite doing their best to hold onto him in January, West Ham must now have to admit defeat. £30million is £5million less than West Ham reportedly rejected for their striker in January, but getting a quality replacement mid-season is always tough. The one favour that Arnautovic and his agent have done West Ham this time is to signal their intent so early in the summer window. That gives West Ham plenty of time to move him on and buy a quality replacement.
West Ham have been linked with Salomon Rondon and Maxi Gomes, and there are arguments for either.
The following are career stats per 90 from wyscout.com.
Gomez has age on his side. He’s 22 and is a current Uruguay international, and Sky Sports claimed that West Ham had a £29million offer accepted for him in June. Rondon would come even cheaper with a £16.5million release clause in his West Brom contract and he proved himself in the Premier League with Newcastle last season. Both are good options but Gomez, at 22, is the player that offers the most upside in terms of future potential and resale value. At this moment in time, we expect Hammers fans would take either of them in place of Arnautovic.