What West Ham could do if they sell Arnautovic for £50 million

There has been interest in Marko Arnautovic since David Moyes turned him into a goalscoring striker last season, but the latest chapter in rumors linking his transfer seems most convincing. It’s clear the asking price would need to rise, so what could West Ham do with £50m to revamp their squad?

* it should be noted that this is not me saying the transfer is happening, that I want it to, or me urging Arnautovic to leave the club. I don’t have inside sources like that, don’t like being unnecessarily negative toward the club, and highly doubt my blogs are on Arnie’s read list.

Also, West Ham apparently has to give 20% of their profits on Arnautovic to Stoke City, so I would suggest that the deep-pocketed investors from the CSL etch out a deal that gives West Ham £50m with the additional 20% going to Stoke.

Buy a new striker

The most obvious of the transfer moves would be to replace Arnautovic in the team with a first choice striker. That being said, I think Arnie leaving would accelerate West Ham’s transfer policy for January and see Lucas Perez moved out as well as players like Toni Martinez and Jordan Hugill should permanent deals be possible.

The possible recruits to replace him are essentially endless. My pick for best fit would be Porto’s centre-forward Moussa Marega. Unfortunately, Porto is hunting Champions League football which would make a move to West Ham less attractive than his current situation.

Marega is also scoring goals at a pretty solid rate, 15 goals in 24 matches, which means that the majority of the money brought in from Arnautovic’s sale would need to be reinvested in him alone. West Ham may be better served to spread the money around, especially in January.

Michy Batshuayi is the main man I’d pursue as a replacement. Sure, he’s had an underwhelming half-season at Valencia, but that shouldn’t outweigh his good half-season at Dortmund last year. He clearly knows how to score, that much is clear, and with a strong supporting cast led by Anderson, Snodgrass, and Lanzini, Batshuayi has no excuse not to perform. He is big, and athletic, and young – all things we need in a first choice striker.

A solid back up/player to invest in is one the team is already monitoring in Brentford. Neal Maupay, the French striker converting for the Bees, is a transfer target for West Ham. He is just 22 years old, which means he would be waded into the first team should he be transferred in, but scoring 16 goals in 24 matches is impressive and this player could be a long-term goal scorer for the Hammers.

Overall, the two strikers would likely cost around £25m but would see a European proven player that is 25 years old, and an English league goal scorer that is 22 years old brought into the team. Not a bad start.

Get the midfielder we need

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There is an ideal target for the holding midfield pairing and he’s best friends with Felipe Anderson. Thiago Maia, Brazilian defensive midfielder at Lille has been stymied positionally in France and could be moved for the right price.

That price is increasing by the day, however, as Lille currently sits second in the table in France’s Ligue 1. The move is much more likely to happen in the summer, but if Anderson can help persuade his countrymate and friend that East London is a desirable location, there are hopes of completing the deal ASAP. £20m should be the price range on this player, but how Lille ends the season should help dictate this.

The other option which is much more likely to happen in January is for Newcastle’s Jonjo Shelvey. He is from the area, supports the team, and shouldn’t cost too much, relatively speaking. Shelvey is a supreme passer of the ball that can bring some more physicality to the midfield. He would be ideal for springing Pellegrini’s wingers up the pitch. Let’s say, £10-12m for the man.

Add some centre-back depth

Depending on who you pick and how much they cost in a far from frugal January transfer window, there should be between £5m-10m left to spend on a defender. Central defender to be clear.

As of now, West Ham seem to be weighing up a loan move for Gary Cahill of Chelsea and/or keeping Reece Oxford around until the summer after he cut ties with his Eugene Landy-esque agent (that’s a really good reference, I’m proud of it). There is certainly a need for a defender but who West Ham could bring in permanently is certainly up in the air.

The immense need to replace Balbuena shows how important the previously unknown Paraguayan defender has been for the Hammers. It also shows how important Pellegrini and Husillios’ scouting networks are. We snatched up both of our first choice centre-backs out of relative obscurity and now they are stars. I couldn’t predict who the Irons would target at centre-back but with a massive influx of cash, there would certainly be a few targets approached.

Next. West Ham must resist pull of money for Rice, now and in the future. dark

Overall, Arnautovic leaving West Ham would be a massive blow to West Ham. The Austrian has won the hearts of Hammers fans with his ‘F-You’ attitude and propensity for scoring goals. If he does leave hearts would be broken, for sure, but the resolve of the Irons wouldn’t waiver. The best response to an ex is living well, and the proposed squad investment above would make Arnie a jealous ex to be sure.