Manchester United have pulled out of a move to sign striker Marko Arnautovic from Bologna following a backlash from the club’s support.
The Austrian international has emerged as a target for Erik ten Hag after United submitted a shock bid worth around £7million over the weekend. But despite Arnautovic sharing a personal connection with Ten Hag, the initial offer was rejected by Italian side Bologna, who view the former West Ham and Stoke talisman as pivotal to their aspirations this season.
However, it had been anticipated that United would return with an improved bid that would provide the breakthrough in the negotiation process and that a deal would be concluded relatively swiftly. The club will now discontinue their interest in signing the 33-year-old.
United are desperately in need of attacking reinforcements after Cristiano Ronaldo’s desire to leave the club just one year after his return to Old Trafford while Edinson Cavani has left the club following the expiration of his contract while Mason Greenwood is no longer part of the first-team squad.
Arnautovic – who had previously worked alongside Ten Hag and assistant Steve McClaren at FC Twente – had been identified as a player to add depth to the club’s attacking options, with Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford the only other senior forwards in the squad.
As detailed by The Athletic, the Austrian is no longer a player of interest to the club following a huge backlash from United’s fanbase over previous comments from the forward. Arnautovic had been accused of using an anti-Albanian slur during Austria’s game against North Macedonia at Euro 2020 – with UEFA issuing him a one-match ban after the incident.
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After that incident, Arnautovic denied any allegation that he was a racist having also denied allegations in 2009 that he had racially abused an opponent while playing for FC Twente. That prompted a series of United fans to email the club directly to outline their opposition to his signing.
The Athletic report details how one fan, who is of North Macedonian descent, was among those who contacted the club to suggest that any move for the player would clash with the club’s no tolerance approach to racism – and that the club had confirmed receipt of his correspondence.
Speculation surrounding Arnautovic ensued during their calamitous opening-day defeat to Brighton on Sunday, when neither Anthony Martial or Cristiano Ronaldo were fit enough to start the 2-1 loss at Old Trafford. But Ten Hag was tight-lipped when asked to shed light on United's plans to bolster their forward line in the final three weeks of summer transfer window.
"I don't go into names because I think, in this pre-season, 250 players are involved or linked to Man United," the former Ajax manager told reporters post-match. "We have two strikers, maybe a third one with [Marcus] Rashford as well, you could see him as a striker.
"He had a really good pre-season on the left side and also today had two really good chances, coming in from the left side, so I think it was the right decision to do it like this. But we didn't have the typical nine. He was not available today."
