Arnautovic gains undesired fame in UK
A disputed Austrian footballer has made an English newspaper’s top unwanted list.
Marko Arnautovic is among the 26 players listed by The Guardian in its new “Europe’s most unwanted” chart. The 22-year-old joined German Bundesliga club Werder Bremen for around seven million Euros after Italian giants Inter decided not to keep him for longer after just one season with the squad on loan from Dutch team Twente Enschede. Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho said Arnautovic had the “mind of a child” when he was in charge of Inter who won the UEFA Champions League last year.
Arnautovic netted just three times for his club in the past season. Spanish media claimed recently Primera Division side Villareal CF are interested in signing the Werder ace who got entangled in a night club brawl when the most recent Bundesliga season came to a close. Austrian national team manager Dietmar Constantini decided not to nominate the wayward striker in the foreseeable future “due to disciplinary reasons”. Constantini also pointed out he was convinced of the player’s “enormous potential”.
Sport newspapers claimed the Vienna-born striker wanted to physically attack national team star Stefan Maierhofer in the locker room after the ex-Rapid Vienna player failed to score from the penalty spot in Austria’s 0-2 defeat against Turkey in Istanbul last March. Emanuel Pogatetz and other players managed to calm down the situation, according to reports.
Other players unlikely to garner a lot of interest during the current transfer period are Liverpool’s Joe Cole, Manchester City striker Jo, Manchester United midfielder Bebe and Sampdoria striker Massimo Maccarone.
Meanwhile, 32-time Austrian league champs Rapid Vienna signed Thomas Schrammel. The left-back left Rapid as part of a loan agreement to join SV Ried in 2009. Rapid previously announced that Thomas Prager will join them from FC Lucerne, while Yasin Pehlivan was sold to Gaziantepspor. The time at Rapid is also over for Mario Konrad, Veli Kavlak and Tanju Kayhan.
Toni Vastic, the 18-year-old son of Sturm Graz legend Ivica Vastic will be transferred from Blackburn Rovers to Bayern Munich, according to sport newspapers in Germany. He would become a teammate of Austrian national team midfielder at Bayern. Alaba only recently agreed with club bosses to extend his contract. August Starek, Harald Cerny, Andreas Herzog and several other Austrians previously played for the Bundesliga powerhouse. Vastic revealed already last month he planned to leave Rovers “for something bigger”.
Austrian vice champions Red Bull Salzburg (RBS) are interested in procuring the services of Petri Pasanen. The Finnish defender is a free agent after Werder decided not to extend his contract after seven years. The Bulls are pressed to react to the long-term injuries of key players like David Mendes da Silva, Franz Schiemer, Douglas da Silva. Defenders Rabiu Afolabi and Milan Dudic left the club.
Brazilian striker Schumacher is expected to leave Austria Vienna who won the ÖFB Cup 27 times. Austria Vienna – who turn 110 this year – meanwhile try to sign Ried star Daniel Royer. The Viennese team’s right-back Florian Klein is linked with clubs in Germany. Zlatko Junuzovic – Austria’s Footballer of the Year 2010 and Player of the Season – could also be on his way out.
Austria Vienna’s league rivals SV Mattersburg snatched up Martin Rodler and Wilfried Domoraud from TSV Hartberg. Keeper Markus Böcskör joins Franz Lederer’s squad from SC ESV Parndorf.
Ex-Hearts of Midlothian ace David Witteveen decided to join Austrian second-league side FC Lustenau, while Wacker Innsbruck snared Austria Vienna goalkeeper Szabolcs Safar. Fortuna Düsseldorf signed Robert Almer. The keeper played for Mattersburg before being transferred to Austria Vienna in 2008.
Austrian Bundesliga champs Sturm Graz are currently testing the skills of Scottish defender Mark Reynolds. Striker Roman Kienast and midfielder Manuel Weber may leave the team managed by Franco Foda to try themselves in Italy.
The 2011/2012 season of the Austrian Bundesliga starts on 15 July.