Marko Arnautovic Sends Heartfelt Message to Potters Following £24m Transfer to West Ham
West Ham finally completed the £24m signing of Austrian forward Marko Arnautović, after seeing two bids unsuccessful for the 28-year-old.
After completing a move that was both a record signing for the Hammers and a record sale for Stoke, Arnautović sent a message to his old supporters on his official Facebook page.
The former Internazionale player, who moved to the bet365 Stadium in 2013 from Werder Bremen, received some criticism from Stoke supporters following the manner of his exit, as he handed in a transfer request in order to expedite his move to London.
However, the forward has thanked his former employers for the last four years with Stoke.
"Want to say a massive thank you to Stoke City Football Club and all my fans who have supported me for the past four years," Arnautović wrote. "You welcomed me and my family to England and this I will never forget [that].
"It was an honour being part of this amazing team. Wish you all the best in the future!"
Arnautović has been an interesting player to watch since his arrival to the Premier League. A strong player with incredible technical ability, Arnautović's lack of consistency is what appears to have stalled his career.
West Ham's desperation for forwards with the quality to impress in the Premier League has led them to both Arnautović and former Man Utd striker Javier Hernandez this summer, while they have also been linked with Arsenal's Olivier Giroud.