The change from Marko Arnautovic to the Chinese Super League is becoming more and more concrete. According to the British channel Sky Sports News on Saturday, the 30-year-old offensive player has already passed a medical check for Shanghai SIPG.
In Shanghai, Arnautovic is to collect a whopping 220,000 euros per week – with a guaranteed total fee of 34 million euros. Arnautovic was already the second best earner at the Hammers with around 130,000 euros per week.
Meanwhile West Ham is negotiating with a capable successor: Celta Vigos Maxi Gomez is to move to London. West Ham is trying to outdo Valencia at the last minute. The 22-year-old Uruguayan midfielder has scored 31 strong goals in the last two La Liga seasons. Gomez is to cost between 45 and 50 million euros.
Arnautovic was last disgraced at his Club West Ham because of his recurring change requests. The Londoners should meanwhile be ready to let the Viennese move to Shanghai for the comparatively cheap redemption of 25 million euros. In January, the club had demanded more than double.
The transfer to the Chinese champions, in whom Brazilians Oscar and Hulk are two other prominent offensive players under contract, has not yet been confirmed. Arnautovic still has to agree on contract details with Shanghai SIPG. The Viennese is currently still on vacation, on Sunday he would have to go to the training camp of West Ham in Bad Ragaz in Switzerland.
The reduced transfer fee of 25 million euros, of which British media have recently unanimously reported, would nevertheless be the second highest in history that has ever been paid for an Austrian footballer. The record is held by Arnautovic himself. West Ham had transferred 25 million pounds (then 28 million euros) to Stoke City for the 2017 attacker.
Arnautovic had already flirted with a move to China in winter. In addition to Shanghai SIPG, its league competitor Guangzhou Evergrande is said to have courted his signature at the time. West Ham reacted after weeks of theatre at the end of January with a contract extension beyond 2022 – to improved salaries. But now Arnautovic should finally follow the call from the Middle Kingdom.
