London (AFP) – Marko Arnautovic might not have the superstar status of China’s biggest football imports, but the volatile Austrian will provide goals and drama in equal measure after he completed a move from West Ham to Shanghai SIPG on Monday.
The Premier League club announced the deal for an undisclosed fee, but reports suggest the Hammers will get just £22 million ($28 million) for the 30-year-old after turning down a £35 million bid just six months ago when interest from China first arose.
Arnautovic was keen to go then and it showed in the diminishing returns towards the end of his time at West Ham with just three of his 22 goals for the club coming after the January transfer window closed.
Rather than hold onto an unhappy player with a reputation for sulking when he does not get what he wants, West Ham have cut their losses to allow Arnautovic to continue a nomadic career that had already taken him to the Netherlands, Germany and Italy before a six-year stint in England.
Arnautovic will join forces with former Brazilian internationals Oscar and Hulk at the Chinese champions and while he may lack their global appeal, the man labelled ‘Mad Marko’ for his explosive antics, brings quite the reputation.
Jose Mourinho once described Arnautovic as having the attitude of a child, while Steve McClaren, his boss at FC Twente, reportedly told friends he was the craziest player he had ever managed.
A close pal of former Manchester City star Mario Balotelli, another player happy to embrace a bad-boy tag, Arnautovic infuriated Mourinho when he briefly played on loan at Inter Milan.
– ‘Keep my mouth shut’ –
While in Italy, Arnautovic borrowed team-mate Samuel Eto’o’s Bentley and it was stolen while in his possession.
“I drove it for two weeks to check whether I liked it. I was at a restaurant with friends when it was stolen. This incident affected me so badly I was unable to train,” Arnautovic said at the time.
He has also cycled into a golf cart, tore a knee ligament while playing with his dog and reportedly insulted a Vienna policeman by saying: “Shut up, I earn so much I can buy your life”.
While playing for Werder Bremen, he was suspended after he was pulled over in his sports car by police for speeding in the early hours of the morning before a match.
from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/2NGtNQz
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