Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho is reportedly keen on signing West Ham’s Marko Arnautovic, who has a valuation of £50m.
According to The Sun, West Ham United forward Marko Arnautovic is included in Manchester United’s shortlist this summer as they plan to strengthen their attacking department next season. The Austrian international played under head coach Jose Mourinho during their time at Inter Milan.
Reports emerged this week, that the former Real Madrid manager was spotted Austria’s friendly against Russia, fueling rumours that a bid for the 29-year-old is apparently imminent.
West Ham, on the other hand, are clamouring to keep hold of their star player as they continue to resist offers from the Red Devils. In fact, the Hammers have slapped a £50m valuation for the Austrian international.
Since joining the London giants last summer for a fee of £25 million, Marko Arnautovic has emerged a key player for the Hammers, scoring 11 goals in his debut season. Although all of his goals came after December of last year, pointing towards his slow start at West Ham, his impressive debut campaign has helped the Hammers avoid relegation.
Following a season which was utterly dominated by cross-town rivals Manchester City, it appears as if Jose Mourinho has been told by the United board that he has to win the title next season. For that very reason, the Portuguese mastermind is keen to bolster his side’s attacking department, which has been a subject of some huge criticism in the past couple of season.
Jose Mourinho has probably realised the fact that his side is in dire need of a burly striker. English wonderkid Marcus Rashford has failed to replace Romelu Lukaku up front, largely due to his lack of physicality.
More often than not, the youngster has been used in wider positions and rightly so. French international Anthony Martial has also endured a rough stint under the Portuguese manager.
For well over a year, Jose Mourinho has been yearning for a player who not only appears as a threat in the wider position, but also provides a strong presence in the final third and Marko Arnautovic fits perfectly in that category. Blessed with immense pace and stamina, the Austrian international is a perfect candidate for Manchester United.
In a purely tactical sense, the addition of Marko Arnautovic will make Manchester United a much more complete side in the attacking department. His aggression coupled with his ability to hold on to the ball is tailor-made for a defence oriented coach like Jose Mourinho. Additionally, the West Ham forward has also shown that he has the ability to drop back and initiate the play, which can allow the likes of Alexis Sanchez and Marcus Rashford more freedom in the final third.
Furthermore, it’s probably fair to say that Marko Arnautovic is more of a complete forward than United’s attacking of Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial, who, in turn, has been linked with a move out of Old Trafford this summer. Considering his hefty price-tag, it would be interesting to see whether or not Manchester United make a move for the Austrian international, who is more than capable of making a big impact at Old Trafford next season.
