Arnautovic snubs Wolfsburg opportunity
Marko Arnautovic has dismissed claims he considers teaming up with Steve McClaren again.The Austrian national team striker, who joined struggling German Bundesliga side Werder Bremen from 2010 Champions League winners Inter last summer, has been linked to VfL Wolfsburg.Wolfsburg boss McClaren coached the 21-year-old striker at Dutch side Twente Enschede some years ago, and German press claimed yesterday Arnautovic could replace Edin Dzeko at Wolfsburg. The Bosnian is expected to sign with Premier League club Manchester City for an alleged transfer sum of 35 million Euros later this week.But now Arnautovic made clear he had no intention of leaving Werder. The former Rapid Vienna ace told German newspaper Bild today (Thurs): “I heard that theres interest (by Wolfsburg). But I enjoy living in Bremen and playing for Werder. I want to stay here and I definitely will.”The controversial striker who acts arrogant on and off the pitch, according to some supporters failed to fully convince Werder manager Thomas Schaaf after joining the club for around seven million Euros ahead of the current season. The clubs executive manager Klaus Allofs stressed he was not considering letting the skilful forward go again.Reports have it McClaren tried to sign Arnautovic before the national team star eventually decided to join Werder. Now Dynamo Moscow striker Kevin Kuranyi is rumoured to join Wolfsburg to fill the gap Dzeko will leave.Wolfsburg, who won the league in the 2008/2009 season, are currently only in 13th in the 18-team Bundesliga, while 14th-placed Bremen also look back on a disastrous first half of the season. Match action in the German top-flight league will continue on 14 January.Meanwhile, Austrian dailies have it that 32-time Austrian league champs Rapid Vienna snatched Michael Schimpelsberger. The team of Peter Pacult reportedly convinced the 19-year-old, who can play in the midfield as well as in the back four, to leave Twente Enschede. Schimpelsberger was signed by the Dutch club from Red Bull Salzburg in 2008.Rapid face Magna Wiener Neustadt away from home when the Austrian Bundesliga restarts after a nine-week winter break on 12 February.The Austrian Bundesliga table after 19 rounds:SV Ried, 37 pointsSturm Graz, 33Red Bull Salzburg, 33Austria Vienna, 32Rapid Vienna, 30Magna Wiener Neustadt, 28Wacker Innsbruck, 26Kapfenberg, 23SV Mattersburg, 12LASK Linz, 10