Arnautovic asks to be Stoke City’s highest-paid player

Mark Holmes
Marko Arnautovic: Has a £12.5m release clause

Marko Arnautovic: Has a £12.5m release clause

Marko Arnautovic is reported to have rejected Stoke City’s opening contract offer and asked to be made the highest-paid player at the club.

Arnautovic is out of contract at the end of next season and has been in negotiations for several weeks over a new one, but the Daily Telegraph claims Stoke have temporarily suspended negotiations after the Austria winger asked to be paid ‘far in excess’ of the £70,000 a week the club’s current highest earner, Xherdan Shaqiri, receives.

However, the Potters will attempt to reach a compromise later this month, it is said, and are hopeful of striking an agreement to keep their top goalscorer at the Britannia Stadium.

Mark Hughes said earlier this week: “We have had conversations with Marko and that is ongoing. We’re working our way through the squad and where we feel we can offer deals to our players.

“Marko is one of those players we’d like to do something with and it’s taking a little bit longer. It is what it is, but the intention is there to keep our good players if we can.”