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West Ham Transfer Update: How has Marko Arnautovic got on in China?

By Adam Smith

VIENNA, AUSTRIA - NOVEMBER 16: Marko Arnautovic of Austria during the UEFA Euro 2020 Qualifier match between Austria and North Macedonia at Ernst Happel Stadion on November 16, 2019 in Vienna, Austria. (Photo by Guenther Iby/SEPA.Media /Getty Images)
VIENNA, AUSTRIA - NOVEMBER 16: Marko Arnautovic of Austria during the UEFA Euro 2020 Qualifier match between Austria and North Macedonia at Ernst Happel Stadion on November 16, 2019 in Vienna, Austria. (Photo by Guenther Iby/SEPA.Media /Getty Images) /
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Since declaring his desire to move back to West Ham, the Irons atmosphere has become divided. But, has Marko Arnautovic actually kicked on since leaving for China?

Love him or hate him, want him back or never want to see him in England again, you cannot deny that when Marko Arnautovic played for West Ham he knew his way around the net. Starting life as a left-winger, Arnautovic wasn’t fulfilling his potential, but when David Moyes moved him to striker after relieving Slaven Bilic of managerial duties, the world opened up for him.

Debuting as the Hammers’ striker against Chelsea on December 9th, Arnautovic scored the only goal in the match, rescuing the Irons from an abysmal slump. He went on to play every remaining Premier League match that season (except one match at LW where he scored) as a centre-forward, picking up a total of 11 goals and six assists in 19 matches.

He would start the 2019/20 season under Manuel Pellegrini showing similar form, but desire to leave the club and intermittent injury saw his production dip to just 10 goals and four assists in 28 games played. The inevitable happened and Arnautovic left, able to join Shanghai SIPG for a reported fee of £22.4 m cash which was then invested in Sebastien Haller.

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Since moving to China, Arnautovic picked up his 2017/18 form and hit the ground running. In his first five games for his new club, he scored four goals and added one assist and would end the season with nine goals and three assists in eleven matches.

The 2020 season kicked off in China with the AFC Champions League Qualification round, the only game played for Shanghai and Arnautovic in this new season. Shanghai won 3-0 over Buriram United 3-0 with Arnautovic scoring once in a full 90-minute display.

The argument against Arnautovic (statistically, anyway) is that the Chinese Super League is far below his level, and it’s really no surprise that he’s scoring for fun there. And, that’s true! But, the next closest goals per game production Arnautovic has had after Shanghai is with West Ham and it’s no coincidence that this coincided with Moyes moving him to striker.

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You can’t argue that he’s a bastard and that he scores goals. He’s gone it for West Ham, Austria, and now Shanghai. If he is being considered by Moyes and the board for a cut-rate price, he’d need to apologize to the club, his teammates, and the supporters before stepping foot back in East London. The second he ran on the pitch and netted a goal, though, would any of us still be complaining?