Arnie Saga Set To Roll On As Chinese Window Closes Feb 28th

Fans are used to rumours and counter rumours during the January transfer window, things peak on the last day, Big Jim White vacates his role at Talksport and assumes his customary role as the Sky Sports transfer deadline day commentator. In the last few years however things have changed, due to their massive financial clout, clubs from the Chinese Super League have been upsetting some of Europes 'big boys' by hoovering up players with offers of enormous wages in addition to paying clubs generously for their star players.

The sort of money on offer is mind blowing, and it is very easy from a distance to criticise players for pursuing the 'filthy lucre', but few would be able to turn down such wealth on a moral basis. It shoud be remembered that for every successful footballer there would have been at least one thousand who didn't make the grade and were released by their clubs, it should also be remembered that every player is just one bad tackle from having their careers ended. Therefore it is rather churlish to pass judgement on those players who seek financial security for their families, also in many cases players fund various foundations that help the under privilaged.

Marko Arnoutovic has obviously been under the microscope following a substantial offer from Shanghai, people have formed their opinions based on the 'evidence' presented by the Media, however much of the information is misplaced to put it mildly and invariably poorly researched! How many of the Red tops have actually bothered to research what Arnoutovic does with his wealth apart from reporting on how pretty his wife is and what car he drives? Have any of the Press taken the time to research the Foundation that Arnoutovic set up to help prevent kids from joining gangs?

The answer is an emphatic NO, perhaps some parties should do their research a little better, or at least concentrate on fact rather than heresay, if not, report with the caveat that what they are writing is conjecture based on fiction not fact. The transfer window in China opened on January the 1st but unlike the winter window in England, it stays open through January before shutting on February the 28th, which means that there will be plenty of time for the 'Arnie' saga to rumble on.

As the club have repeatedly stated, Marko Arnoutovic is contracted to West Ham United, there are another two and a half years to run on his contract with the option to extend for a further year. It should be noted that Stoke City are due to receive 20% of any future sale as per the sell on clause negotiated at the time of the player's departure from the Bet 365, furthermore the purchasing club in China have to pay a whopping 100% of the transfer fee in local tax meaning even if the offer was upped to £50 Million, they would actually end up paying £100 Million, and that is before you factor in £250-300,000 per week wages!.

In an ideal world Arnoutovic will stay at the club and then leave in the Summer if he still wishes to, but unfortunately we don't live in an ideal World and this 'impasse' may still have a convoluted conclusion. - Ed