Man Utd target Arnautovic earned huge fortune in China after quitting West Ham

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Marko Arnautovic has been linked with a shock move to Manchester United after Bologna turned down a £7.6million offer from the Red Devils on Sunday.

The 33-year-old Austrian has had quite the career, and after breaking through at FC Twente, the striker enjoyed time at Inter Milan before starring for Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga. Premier League moves to Stoke and West Ham followed before Arnautovic settled for a luxury pay packet in China.

United have identified Arnautovic as the experienced striker they need for the time being while they sort out their messy situation, and after 14 Serie A goals in his first season with Bologna there are certainly worse targets. And if they can strike a deal, it's unlikely that Arnautovic will be too hung up on personal terms as the Austrian earned an absolute fortune in China.

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Arnautovic joined the trend back in 2019, and switched European football for a venture over in China for astronomical wages. The Austrian signed a deal worth £200,000-a-week at Shanghai Port in 2019, as he saw his wages more than doubled compared to what he was earning at West Ham.

The striker spent 103 weeks in China before agreeing to rip up his contract and seek a move back to Europe, but during that time he pocketed just over £20m in wages from Shanghai. Arnautovic joined Bologna last summer as an incredibly wealthy man, and his short two-year stint away from Europe was certainly a brilliant financial decision.

In just two years salary, Arnautovic could've bought ten brand new Bugatti Chiron's, 10 luxury homes in Orange County, California, or even acquire two top of the range private jets. What's more, is that Arnautovic could have afforded to pay the £17m transfer fee that Barcelona received from Aston Villa for Philippe Coutinho.

At the age of 33, it's unlikely that Arnautovic will ever see those kinds of riches again, but he's taken more than most other professionals ever will within the game. The Austrian won't be seeing that kind of money should he join United, but for an opportunity to play at Old Trafford towards the end of his career, finances may not be prioritised.

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United's players failed to score during their first Premier League game of the season against Brighton, with an Alexis Mac Allister own goal needed to get the Red Devils off the mark. United lost Erik ten Hag's first Premier League game in charge as a brace by Pascal Gross earned Brighton all three points.

With Cristiano Ronaldo still attempting to leave, and Anthony Martial currently side-lined, United appear to be panicking in the transfer market. But after Bologna rejected their first bid, they must decide whether to increase their offer or look elsewhere.

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