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West Ham sells Arnautovic to Chinese champion Shanghai SIPG

Britain Soccer Premier League

West Ham United’s Mark Noble, left, celebrates scoring his side’s first goal of the game with teammate Marko Arnautovic, during the English Premier League soccer match between Stoke City and West Ham United at the bet365 Stadium in Stoke, England, Saturday Dec. 16, 2017. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)

AP

LONDON (AP) West Ham announced the sale of Marko Arnautovic to Chinese champion Shanghai SIPG in a terse, two-line statement on Monday.

The value of the deal was not disclosed in a statement from West Ham which offered no thanks for the Austria forward’s 22 goals in two seasons.

The club’s Twitter account message was even shorter: “Marko Arnautovic departs.”

[ REPORT: Mings to Aston Villa ]

British media reported the transfer fee was around 22 million pounds ($27.6 million).

Relations between West Ham and Arnautovic have been tense since he sought a move to China in January, and got worse this offseason.

Arnautovic leaves despite signing a contract extension in late January.

The 30-year-old forward was a club record 20 million pounds ($25 million) signing from Stoke in 2017.

At Shanghai, Arnautovic will join up in attack with former Brazil internationals Hulk and Oscar.

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More AP English soccer: https://apnews.com/PremierLeague and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports