Manchester United have reportedly launched a surprise bid for Marko Arnautovic, but his history of playing under Erik ten Hag and Steve McLaren may explain that interest.
Arnautovic is currently playing for Bologna having previously featured in the Premier League for Stoke City and West Ham United. he left the Hammers acrimoniously in 2019 for Chinese Super League side Shanghai Port.
But with the Red Devils now desperate to sign a striker with Anthony Martial injured and Cristiano Ronaldo demanding a departure, he has emerged as a possible target. The Austrian scored 43 goals in the Premier League during his time at Stoke and West Ham.
He reached double figures for Bologna last season, scoring 15 times in 34 appearances in all competitions. And with their forward options few and far between, The Athletic reports that United have launched a £6.8million bid to sign him.
The move may not be as out of the blue as it seems at first though, with Arnautovic having a history with Ten Hag and McLaren. The forward was at FC Twente when McLaren took charge of the Eredivisie side in the summer of 2008.
He quickly signed a new contract with the Dutch side, becoming a regular in McLaren's team. He scored 14 goals and notched eight assists in all competitions, as he made 41 appearances in total.
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Those goals helped Twente to secure a second-placed finish in the Dutch top-flight and reach the knockout stages of the UEFA Cup. Arnautovic would join Inter Milan for the following season, while McLaren led Twente to their first-ever Eredivisie title.
McLaren of course is now assistant boss at United to Ten Hag, who was the Englishman's number two at Twente. According to The Athletic, Ten Hag is an 'influential voice' on the decision to target the 33-year-old.
His strength and character are said to be the qualities that United chiefs most admire about him as they look to bring him in as a squad player. He still has two years remaining on his contract with Bologna, who finished 13th in Serie A last season.
It is believed that Arnautovic would come in to supply cover for Ronaldo and Martial if he does arrive at Old Trafford. He is seen as an alternative to Benjamin Sesko, with United having run into problems as they try to buy the striker from Red Bull Salzburg.
With Martial injured and fitness concerns over Ronaldo, United started the new Premier League campaign without a recognised striker. But with Brighton taking a 2-0 lead, Ronaldo was brought on five minutes into the second half.
Though the Red Devils did pull a goal back, it was a disastrous opening game for the new era under Ten Hag. He will now likely increase his efforts to strengthen his squad, with less than a month remaining before the transfer window slams shut till January.
