OPINION
Sometimes in football, you sit back, look at a piece of news, and just think “you couldn’t make it up”. After everything that happened in January surrounding West Ham and the Marko Arnautovic transfer saga, you would think the last place the club would want to go for preseason next summer would be China. And yet, here we are, approaching the end of March, with the Hammers confirming that they will be taking part in the Premier League Asia Trophy in, you guessed it, China. The Irons confirmed via their official website on Tuesday that they will be lining up alongside Wolves, Newcastle United, and Manchester City in the tournament, but supporters seemed more bothered about the link between the host nation and the fate of their talismanic Austrian. For all Arnautovic signed a new deal in January, there is still a creeping feeling of doubt as to how binding that contract will be should the right offer come along at the end of the season. Certainly, it would be no real shock to anybody if the 29-year-old finally got his move to China after all, and it would be so typically West Ham to follow him out there themselves at a time when most Hammers would rather just forget the place existed.
Forever West Ham have gathered some of the best tweets below:
Incoming ”Let ship Arnie in China” jokes
— Joel Koch (@JoelKoch09) March 26, 2019
& so is Arnie
— Steve (@Steve_WHU_) March 26, 2019
Hopefully Arnie stays there
— Jack orwell (@Jackorwell1) March 26, 2019
Arnie and his one way ticket
— Jason Dale (@DaleJbdale2011) March 26, 2019
Literally a waste of everybody’s time.
— Mitch (@MrSnoogans) March 26, 2019
Everyone needs to shut up about Arnie and China – like seriously. It's getting boring now!
— Shannon Baker • shanylou (@shanyloublog) March 26, 2019
Is this the tournament that Pellers was against us taking part in but the board sorted regardless?!
— Jamie Penfold ⚒ (@jamie_penfold) March 26, 2019