Manchester United have expressed an interest in West Ham United forward Marko Arnautovic. However, it is understood that the club will not be making a bid for the Austrian international in the January window.

Instead United will continue to monitor Arnautovic for the rest of this season before deciding whether or move for him, which is far from certain.

Given Arnautovic’s age - he is 29 - United’s interest in him may depend on whether or not Jose Mourinho remains as the club’s manager beyond this campaign. Arnautovic has long been linked to United, who would be loathe to pay a significant transfer fee for a player of his age. He has three more years on his contract after this campaign.

West Ham are aware of the interest in Arnautovic and that intermediaries are sounding out clubs, who they signed for up to £25million in July 2017 from Stoke City. His brother and representative, Danijel, recently said the striker “needs to play at a top team” and is “ready for the next step”.

Arnautovic, who went off with a hip injury in the defeat at home to Manchester City on Saturday, has however denied he is looking for a move away from West Ham.