Arnautovic’s Contract Negotiations Still Underway: Mark Hughes

Mark Hughes has confirmed that contract negotiations with Arnautovic are still underway amid reports suggesting that he may be eyeing a move out of the Britannia.

According to goal, Stoke boss, Mark Hughes has come out to say that he’s confident that Stoke can keep hold of Marko Arnautovic amid interest from PSG.

Arnautovic recently rejected a new contract offer from Stoke City claiming that he deserved to earn more as he proposed an improved £80,000 per week deal.

Stoke seem to be trying to work their way around Arnautovic’s demands as they remain keen on keeping hold of their key man.

Arnautovic has combined well upfront with Bojan and Shaqiri, taking Stoke’s attacking class to the level of the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea, and removing Arnautovic out of the occasion at this stage would be quite ludicrous to say the very least.

Mark Hughes has insisted that negotiations with Arnautovic are still underway, and a deal will be reached soon despite reports claiming that Arnautovic is unhappy with the recent developments.

“It [the contract situation] is where it was just before Christmas. As with all negotiations, usually agents go in high, and we go in low, and somewhere in the future we get to the middle ground, and something gets done,” he said. “Sometimes they take longer than others, but as always we are very hopeful that Marko will be a big part of what we are doing moving forward, and I think that is what he would like.

“It would be naive to think that is not what is going on. We are just going through that process, and we go through that process with every re-negotiation we have. Hopefully, it will be sorted out.”

Stoke City are on course to challenge for a Europa League spot this season as they boast of their best attacking Lineup since the days of the legendary Sir Stanley Matthews.

Surely things could only get better from here for Stoke City, and they could be looking for a top-four finish in a couple of years if they play their cards right.

But for now, Stoke have to wave off any interest in Marko Arnautovic in order not to disturb the flow in the attacking third.