Former West Ham United striker Dean Ashton has urged his old club to keep hold of Marko Arnautovic amid a bid from an unknown Chinese club.
Sky Sports reported that the Hammers had received an offer of £35 million for one of their star players from a club in China, but the club have reinforced that he will not be sold anytime soon.
In light of this news, Ashton says that the Irons must keep the attacking star – who has 11 goals this season – under any circumstances, adding that this bid will be a test to how loyal he actually is to the club.
“I”ve seen him over the last six months to a year at West Ham, he’s been pumping his chest, pumping the badge, he’s been doing the cross of the Hammers. He’s making out as if he absolutely loves being at West Ham and that he loves the fans,” he told talkSPORT.
“This is going to be a big test as to whether he actually he is that, or actually this is just a show and he’s going to cop out and take the money. I think he should stay, because there would be better sides like Chelsea or even Manchester United that would look at him.
“He has been that good since David Moyes played him through the middle. He’s surprised me at how quick he is, how strong he is, how well he can lead the line. He’s obviously got a lot of ability where he can link the players well. I think he would be superb signing for anyone. But West Ham have to keep him – it is as simple as that.”
"There are better sides, like Chelsea or Man United, that would look at him."
"West Ham have to keep him."
⚒️ @Dean36Ashton10 says it would be a "cop out" if Arnautović leaves #WHUFC for China this month. pic.twitter.com/k0YALwBDjE
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) January 10, 2019
OPINION
It is an absolute no-brainer in terms of Arnautovic’s future at West Ham. Ashton is right to urge his former club to keep hold of him, as he is one player that they simply cannot do without at the moment. When he is injured or just not on the pitch, his absence is really felt throughout the team – showing just how pivotal he is to their success. The team would not score half as many the goals without him in the side, which why they must pull out all of the stops to keep him. What would they do if they suddenly succumbed to this Chinese bid? It would mean that they would not have long to find a suitable replacement for him – and given the impact he has made on their season so far, finding one certainly would not be easy. The Irons need him for the rest of the season, as their hopes of achieving a top ten finish in the Premier League would essentially go down the drain without him.
