Bologna Marko Arnautovic opens up on failed Manchester United move
Speaking to Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport as quoted by Manchester Evening News, Marko Arnautovic has opened up on his failed Manchester United move back when Jose Mourinho was in charge of the club.
The 33-year-old Bologna striker was at West Ham back then and has revealed that the Portuguese manager wanted to sign him. However, the Red Devils did not have the money to pull it off as they had just signed Paul Pogba.
Arnautovic’s career has since taken a very interesting turn. The Austrian since joined Stoke City, then SH SIPG and is now back in Europe playing in the Serie A. He still continues to score regular goals.
Marko Arnautović is the first West Ham player to score 11 Premier League goals in a single season since Bobby Zamora in 2006/07.
Funnily enough, the 33-year-old was linked with a move to Man United even as recently as this summer which did receive a lot of controversies and the Red Devils eventually pulled out of the running.
Arnautovic has played 21 times for the Serie A club this season, scoring nine goals and providing two assists across all competitions. It’s not a bad return for a player who is reaching the end of his playing career.
Speaking about the move to Man United that was supposed to happen a few years ago, Arnautovic more or less blame the 20-time English champions spending 89million Pounds on Paul Pogba for leaving them with no money to sign him.
“Jose [Mourinho] wanted me when I was at West Ham. He asked me how much I cost. But then United didn’t have enough money to sign me, because they had already bought Pogba.”
2048w, https://weallfollowunited.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/fbl-eur-nations-aut-den-265x187.jpg 265w, https://weallfollowunited.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/fbl-eur-nations-aut-den-561x396.jpg 561w, https://weallfollowunited.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/fbl-eur-nations-aut-den-1122x791.jpg 1122w, https://weallfollowunited.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/fbl-eur-nations-aut-den-531x375.jpg 531w, https://weallfollowunited.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/fbl-eur-nations-aut-den-364x257.jpg 364w, https://weallfollowunited.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/fbl-eur-nations-aut-den-728x513.jpg 728w, https://weallfollowunited.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/fbl-eur-nations-aut-den-608x429.jpg 608w, https://weallfollowunited.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/fbl-eur-nations-aut-den-758x535.jpg 758w, https://weallfollowunited.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/fbl-eur-nations-aut-den-1152x813.jpg 1152w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" />Austria’s striker Marko Arnautovic. (Photo by JOE KLAMAR/AFP via Getty Images)
United pulled out of a deal for Arnautovic in the summer and are now back in the market for a striker. The sudden exit of Cristiano Ronaldo has left a gaping hole in the forward line that Erik ten Hag has to fill.
We don’t know how the Austrian’s career would have shaped out in a Man United shirt had he made the move here. It’s safe to say that Arnautovic would have scored goals as he has done for much of his career but his age would have always been an issue.
It remains to be seen who the Red Devils sign as their striker option for the rest of the season. They need a pure goalscorer and let’s see who they go for.
I'm Pranav Kannan, a data scientist by day, football enthusiast by night. My journey with the beautiful game began with the mesmerizing play of Lionel Messi, whose unparalleled skill turned me into a lifelong Barcelona fan and sparked my passion for football.
Writing about football has been a refreshing cocktail of joy, and probably the most intoxicating yet, much like experiencing the 6-1 comeback live. Through my work, I hope to connect with readers who share a similar excitement and love for the game and offer a fresh perspective.
