According to the latest news from the Italian media, Shanghai Seaports' foreign aid player, Austrian soccer superstar Arnautovic, seems to be approaching Serie A powerhouse Bologna, and the two sides seem to have reached an agreement on a transfer. However, in a recent interview on the Austrian TV program "willkommen", Arnautovic himself denied the rumors of his imminent departure from the Chinese Super League and emphasized that his contract with Shanghai Harbor has not yet expired.
According to Italian media reports, Arnautovic is expected to sign a two- to three-year contract with Bologna, earning as much as €2.7 million a year. Meanwhile, he is negotiating the termination of his contract with Shanghai Harbor with the intention of getting rid of the Chinese Super League. A number of clubs such as West Ham United, Crystal Palace and Fenerbahce have also shown strong interest in the star.
But for Arnautovic, these rumors are nothing more than "noise". When asked if he would prefer to join Bologna or West Ham United, he responded, "I don't want to discuss this kind of topic. I would like to clarify that I still have a year and a half left on my contract with Shanghai Harbour and this is not the time to think about other teams."
Arnautovic is reportedly under contract until November 2022 and is expected to earn more than €10 million a year. In this case, barring exceptional circumstances, it would be difficult for him to agree to break his contract with Shanghai Seaport in favor of a much lower European contract.
Arnautovic originally moved to Shanghai Seaport from the English Premier League in pursuit of a higher income. This season, Shanghai Seaport has performed well in the Chinese Super League, thanks in large part to retaining a number of strong foreign players. While his departure would be a huge blow to the team, it seems that, at least for this year, that will be hard to come true.
