Manuel Pellegrini has insisted Andy Carroll and Marko Arnautovic will not be leaving West Ham in the January transfer window.
Carroll recently returned to the Hammers’ first-team fold after a 15-game injury layoff and has featured in their last two games, against Burnley and Brighton.
Can West Ham keep hold of Arnautovic? Five key things to know…
- Arnautovic has scored 18 Premier League goals for the Hammers since the start of last season.
- That is just under a quarter of West Ham’s Premier League goals during that time.
- His form since converting to a striker has led to a host of big clubs reportedly showing an interest in the Austrian.
- Manchester United are one of the names most linked with a move for Arnautovic.
- But Manuel Pellegrini has insisted both he and Andy Carroll will be going nowhere in the winter transfer window.
Arnautovic, meanwhile, has been compared to Eric Cantona in terms of mindset and recommended to Chelsea.
While Jose Mourinho managed United, Arnautovic was said to be a target but, according to the Mirror, set a £60m valuation on the player in view of pricing would-be buyers out of a deal.
In any case, former Irons boss David Moyes feels he is good enough to play for the 20-time English champions and the Austrian has scored seven goals this season. Only Felipe Anderson has more for West Ham.
However, Pellegrini has quashed these rumours, maintaining both he and Carroll are too important to his squad.
“Andy will still be here with us, he is an important player for us,” the 65-year-old told reporters ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup third-round tie with Birmingham.
“He is just coming back from a long, long injury, and the way he is taking advantage of his minutes he will return to the player that we all know.
“I am also sure Marko Arnautovic will stay here with us. Good players always have offers but that is different to rumours.”
Pellegrini backs Nasri to succeed at West Ham
West Ham completed the signing of former Arsenal and Man City playmaker Samir Nasri recently after the Frenchman completed an 18-month doping ban, and Pellegrini believes the 31-year-old will take to being back on the pitch like ‘riding a bicycle’.
“I think football is like riding a bicycle: if you learn to ride a bicycle when you are a small boy, you never forget,” said Pellegrini.
“I believe Samir will play in the same way as when he was last able to. I trust a lot in what he will give this team.
“He is motivated and working hard but he has a lot of qualities. I am absolutely sure he is a player who will make a difference.”
West Ham’s next Premier League fixture is at home to Arsenal.
The post Carroll and Arnautovic will stay at West Ham, says Manuel Pellegrini appeared first on Squawka News.
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