No certainty over Arnautovic’s West Ham future, says vice-chairman

West Ham striker Marko Arnautovic’s future at the club remains unclear despite being contracted to the London Stadium side until 2023.

Arnautovic was unsettled by a big money offer from China in January and was seemingly adamant at one point that he wanted to leave.

But he went on to have a change of heart and committed to a new deal with the Irons, although vice-chairman Karren Brady has made no promises over his long-term future with the club.

“It’s the same with every player – their future at the club is determined by the manager. Not by the chairman, not by the board and certainly not by me,” she told Sky Sports.

“If he [Manuel Pellegrini] decides he wants him at the club and he wants to offer him a new contract, like he did a few months ago, then that’s what happens.

“The board support whatever decision he makes and that’s the way it should be.”

The 30-year-old Austria international joined the West Ham from Stoke City in July 2017 for £24 million ($30m) and has scored 21 goals in 59 Premier League appearances.

After mid-season troubles over his potential move to China he ended the season on a high with a double in a 3-0 win over Southampton, followed by another on the final day of the campaign at Watford, which ended in a 4-1 win.

West Ham finished the season in tenth spot, three places higher than in 2017-18, but struggled for consistency under Pellegrini in his first season in charge at the London Stadium despite heavy investment.

Brady revealed that Pellegrini has identified a list of targets aimed at strengthening his squad in the summer.

“It’s never ending; we spent over £100 million ($127m) last summer,” the 50-year-old explained. “The transfers are always dealt with between our chairman David Sullivan and the manager directly.

“My role is much more in relation to the commercial side of the club; the stadium and so on. I know they have already had meetings, I know they’ve got a plan and I know they’ve got targets.”

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