Shanghai SIPG striker Marko Arnautovic has been subject to a lot of interest from clubs that are looking for a new striker, in West Ham United, Inter Milan and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The 31-year-old who has 85 caps for Austria hasn’t played in Europe since leaving West Ham back in July 2019 for £22.5m, having scored 21 goals in 59 league games for the Hammers in his two years at the London Stadium, following his departure from Stoke City in 2017.
Arnautovic’s former club West Ham are the favourites to sign the Austrian striker, having sold Ivory Coast international Sebastien Haller to Ajax for just over £20m. David Moyes’ side tends to play a 5-4-1 formation which converts into a 3-4-3 when attacking, and with the Austrian being able to play on the wing and up front, he would be an ideal replacement for Haller as he is more mobile and versatile than the former Eintracht Frankfurt man.
A move to the London Stadium would be a good one for Arnautovic as he would be playing a higher standard of football than what he does in China, although it is unlikely that the Irons will match his £5.1m wage, which is the perceived reason behind his departure to China back in 2019, which left a bad taste in many West Ham fan’s mouths, there would have to be a compromise made if this deal is to happen.
Inter Milan are next on the list and are another former club of Arnautovic’s, having had a loan spell with the Italian giants back in 2009/10.
Antonio Conte is rumoured to be looking for a striker to bolster his attacking numbers, as he only has three senior players who can play up front in his squad in Romelu Lukaku, Lautaro Martinez and Alexis Sanchez.
Alike West Ham, Inter often opt for a 3-4-3 when attacking, but do often line-up in a 5-2-1-2 shape, which either way the Austrian striker would suit due to his versatility. This would be a good move for Arnautovic, as Inter are hot on the tails of city rivals AC Milan at the halfway stage of the Serie A season and are fighting to win their first Scudetto since 2010.
Arnautovic is priced at 9/1 to make a move back to the San Siro.
Wolverhampton Wanderers are looking for a striker this January having had Mexican forward Raul Jimenez ruled with a long term injury, following the 29-year-old suffering a fractured skull in his sides 2-1 away win at Arsenal in late November.
So far this season, Wolves’ £35m record signing Fabio Silva who they signed from FC Porto in the summer has failed to hit the ground running, having scored two goals in 14 appearances, although this is somewhat expected, as Silva is just 18-years-old and playing just his second season of first-team football, having scored three and assisted two in 21 games for Porto in all competitions last season.
Arnautovic would provide Wolves with experience and a focal point, something of which they currently lack without Jimenez, and would be a really good short-term signing for the Midlands club, as they are labouring in the bottom half of the Premier League in 14th, having won just one game since the Mexican’s injury.
