Marko Arnautovic Transfer to West Ham United Agreed for Reported Record Fee

Gill Clark @@gillclarkyFeatured Columnist IJuly 22, 2017

STOKE ON TRENT, ENGLAND - MAY 13: Marko Arnautovic of Stoke City during the Premier League match between Stoke City and Arsenal at Bet365 Stadium on May 13, 2017 in Stoke on Trent, England. (Photo by James Baylis - AMA/Getty Images)

James Baylis - AMA/Getty Images

West Ham United have confirmed they have signed Marko Arnautovic from Stoke City.

The club announced the news via Twitter on Saturday:

#ImForever @WestHamUtd
#WelcomeMarko https://t.co/hbytCapBe2

Per Stoke City's official website, Arnautovic will cost the Hammers at least £20 million, with £5 million in bonus money added to the deal. The fee is a club record.

The Austrian will be a huge miss for Stoke. He scored six goals and provided five assists in 32 Premier League appearances last season, per WhoScored.com.

However, he will bring creativity to a West Ham attack that managed only 47 goals in 38 Premier League games last season, as illustrated by Opta:

OptaJoe @OptaJoe
190 – Marko Arnautovic has led the way for Stoke for chances created in each of his four seasons in the PL (190 in total). Vital. https://t.co/EaBlZwb9OF

West Ham appear keen to strengthen their forward line this summer, having also been linked with a move for Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud and Bayer Leverkusen's Javier Hernandez, per Matt Law at the Telegraph.

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