According to the latest news from the Italian media, Shanghai Seaport's powerful foreigner, Austrian soccer superstar Arnautovic, seems to be closing the gap with Serie A powerhouse Bologna, and is about to sign a two to three year deal with a salary of up to 2.7 million euros per year. However, in a recent interview on the Austrian TV program willkommen, Arnautovic himself debunked claims that he is about to leave the Chinese Super League, emphasizing that his contract with Shanghai Seaport has not yet expired.
Arnautovic is rumored to be in talks with Shanghai Seaport over the termination of his contract with the intention of moving to the Europa League on a free transfer, while a number of clubs such as West Ham United, Crystal Palace and Fenerbahce have also shown strong interest in him.
But Arnautovic was unconcerned about such rumors in the interview. Facing a question from the host about whether he would choose Bologna or West Ham United, he firmly stated, "I don't want to discuss such issues at all. I must clarify that I still have one and a half years left on my contract with Shanghai Harbour and this is not the time to think about moving to another team."
It is reported that Arnautovic has a contract with Shanghai Seaport until November 2022, with an annual salary conservatively estimated at over €10 million. With such favorable conditions, it is unlikely that he will voluntarily terminate his contract and return to Europe to accept a significantly lower value contract, unless there are special circumstances.
Arnautovic originally moved to Shanghai Seaport from the English Premier League in pursuit of higher earnings. This season, Shanghai Seaport has performed well in the Chinese Super League, thanks in large part to the fact that they have retained several top foreigners. While his departure would be a huge blow to the team, it seems unlikely to happen, at least for this year.
