West Ham United have had a £20m bid for Marko Arnautovic rejected by Stoke City after failing with their opening offer, according to Sky Sports.

What’s the word?

The Hammers have been linked to numerous attacking players in this transfer window, and it seems that Arnautovic is a top target.

Sky Sports claim that the East London club tabled a £20m bid, but the Potters have not entertained the idea of selling one of their prized assets just yet.

West Ham initially tried to secure Arnautovic’s signature by offering £15m, but they were forced to go back and revise their approach.

The London Evening Standard reports that the Hammers may return with a third bid as manager Slaven Bilic sees the Austrian as his top target, and they have been encouraged by the player’s transfer request.

It is believed that the Croatian wants to position Arnautovic alongside Manuel Lanzini and Michael Antonio in a three-man attack behind centre-forward.

Should West Ham increase their bid?

There is no denying that Arnautovic would provide quality to Bilic’s side in wide areas.

Last season, he scored six goals and provided five assists in 32 Premier League appearances for the Potters.

However, the 28-year-old is not in the calibre of players that warrant a transfer fee of £20m plus.

It is understandable why Stoke would value him so high because of his importance to the team and the fact that he has three years remaining on his contract, but in the grand scheme of things, the price tag is excessive.

The dilemma that West Ham have is whether to pay over the odds to give their attacking areas a much-needed boost, or go for cheaper options that are weaker in quality.

In this situation, if Arnautovic pushes for a move to West Ham, then Stoke may have to lower their valuation or risk having a very unhappy player in the squad.

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