Bologna are looking to strike a deal for Marko Arnautovic after West Ham United rejected the chance to take the Austria international back to the Premier League, as reported by Corriere dello Sport.
David Moyes has not only turned West Ham into one of the most watchable sides in the top flight, a 3-2 victory over Crystal Palace lifting them into the dizzying heights of the Champions League places, he has also put together a squad full of hard-working, committed, likable individuals.
Those are three attributes that Hammers fans would not necessarily associate with Arnautovic.
The former Stoke City and Inter Milan forward scored 22 goals in two seasons in claret and blue but departed in acrimonious circumstances in the summer of 2019, forcing through a money-spinning switch to China.
So, when West Ham decided against bringing Arnautovic (and his £100,000 pay-packet) back to the London Stadium earlier this month, it felt like the right call (Mail).
The controversial return of a player who burned plenty of bridges prior to his departure would surely have threatened to overshadow what has been a season largely free of off-field distractions and the usual controversy.
Those eye-watering wages certainly played a part in West Ham’s decision.
And, according to reports in Italy, Arnautovic’s financial demands could see Bologna priced out too.
The Serie A outfit have held talks with the 31-year-old but, unless he is willing to take a pay cut, it seems he may be stuck in the Far East.
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