West Ham United vice-chairman Karren Brady has admitted that star player Marko Arnautovic was ‘tempted’ to leave the club in January after a lucrative offer was put to him by a Chinese side.
Speculation over the Hammer superstar’s future was rife last month as the British mainstream media linked with the Austrian forward with a move to the Far East.
In the end up, Arnautovic signed a new West Ham contract and reiterated his commitment to the Irons, but not all appears rosy with the temperamental attacker.
Throughout the ordeal, the Hammers hierarchy stated that the former Stoke City man was not for sale and stated the player did not request a transfer.
Writing in her column for the Sun, Brady has documented her thoughts on the prevalence of agents in the modern game – and confessed that Arnautovic was tempted to leave West Ham due to chatter over a lucrative contract in China.
“Marko Arnautovic was tempted to leave West Ham because a Chinese club were dangling wads of Yuan,” the Hammer chief wrote.
“This is not necessarily all good, clean fun but, unless if breaks the law it is no use complaining.”
West Ham fans will hope that any talk of Arnautovic leaving the club does not resurface in the summer, but many of the supporters will not have faith that the Austrian’s head will not be turned again.
The Hammers are reliant on him for goals in the final third and as such Manuel Pellegrini could have a dilemma on his hands.
West Ham will surely look to add a new centre forward in the summer that can support Arnautovic and along with Felipe Anderson form a rounded attacking unit.