West Ham Set to Complete £23m Signing of Stoke City's Marko Arnautovic in 48 Hours

Wantaway Stoke City star Marko Arnautovic is set to finally complete his move to West Ham in the next 48 hours after handing in a formal transfer request. The

Wantaway Stoke City star Marko Arnautovic is set to finally complete his move to West Ham in the next 48 hours after handing in a formal transfer request.

The Austrian international will arrive at the London Stadium for a club-record transfer fee of £23m and it is reported that personal terms have already been agreed between the two parties.

The Evening Standardreport that the Hammers saw two bids of £15m and £20m rejected by the Potters, but at the third time of asking, Slaven Bilic appears to have sealed a deal for one of his primary targets.

Stoke City's Austrian striker Marko Arnautovic chases the ball during the English Premier League football match between Stoke City and West Ham United at the Bet365 Stadium in Stoke-on-Trent, central England on April 29, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Paul ELLIS / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images) :: PAUL ELLIS/GettyImages

Stoke will have to pay 20% of the £23m to Arnautovic's former club Werder Bremen, which was why they were so keen to set the high price.

The versatile winger will now go for medical tests with the Hammers before joining the rest of the squad in their pre-season camp in Austria.

Bilic has been desperate for a new forward this summer after the east London club's profligacy in front of goal last term.

Stoke City's Austrian striker Marko Arnautovic (R) vies with West Ham United's Swiss midfielder Edimilson Fernandes (L) during the English Premier League football match between Stoke City and West Ham United at the Bet365 Stadium in Stoke-on-Trent, central England on April 29, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Paul ELLIS / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images) :: PAUL ELLIS/GettyImages

Despite being a winger by trade, the consensus is that Arnautovic can fill the manager's striking void if called upon and given the fact that Andy Carroll and Diafra Sakho have terrible injury records, he will likely get a lot of chances.

After the Hammers 0-0 draw with Sturm Graz on Tuesday, Bilic emphasised the need for a new forward, saying: “We should have scored five or six goals but to be fair we are not scoring in training so it was the same in the game.”