West Ham forward Marko Arnautovic has been the subject of reported interest from China.
Dean Ashton believes it will be the ‘biggest cop-out’ and an ‘ego thing’ from Marko Arnautovic if he were to leave West Ham this month for China.
As reported by Sky Sports, Austria international Arnautovic has been the subject of a £35 million bid from an unnamed Chinese club, with his agent and brother claiming that he is keen on the move.
Following that statement from his brother/agent, West Ham responded on their official Twitter account that the 29-year-old is not for sale and they expect him to honour his contract.
Amid all the speculation, former Hammers striker Ashton provided some brutally honest thoughts on the Arnautovic situation.
“I think he could be tempted probably with the figures that are being banded about,” Ashton told the Alan Brazil Breakfast show on talkSPORT on 10/01/2019 at 7:35 am. “I think it will be the biggest cop-out for a player like him if he was to take that offer.
“It’s the best football we [West Ham supporters] have seen him play in this country – at the moment for West Ham, you are not going to buy a player for that sort of money for his quality. It will be crazy to get rid of a player like that.”
Arnautovic moved to the London Stadium during the summer of 2018 when the powerful attacker left then-Premier League side Stoke City.
Initially, under Slaven Bilic, Arnautovic struggled to produce the goods, playing on the left-hand side before the arrival of David Moyes changed everything.
The Scotsman opted to play him as a centre-forward and the former Inter player never looked back, scoring 11 goals from December onwards as Ashton continued to offer his thoughts on the player
“That would have to be an ego thing if he goes for money,” Ashton added. “Now, I have seen him over the last six months to a year at West Ham, he has been pumping his chest, pumping the badge, he has been doing the cross arms for the Hammers.
“He has been making out as if he absolutely loves being at West Ham, he loves the fans and all that, so this is going to be a big test to see if he actually means that or that was just for show and he’s going to cop out and take the money.”
West Ham manager Manuel Pellegrini will be focussing his attention on the league, with Unai Emery’s Arsenal visiting the London Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The Irons are currently sitting in the top 10 and can move up to eighth in the table if they pick up all three points against the Gunners and other results go their way.
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