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Marko Arnautovic is now a striker, no-one will tell him otherwise and the man himself has declared he is fit and hungry for the season ahead with West Ham.

The Hammers talisman was moved to a centre forward role by David Moyes when the Scotsman arrived in November last year and transformed the Austrian as he banged in 11 goals in 23 games to help the team to safety in the Premier League.

Arnutovic was a winger at Stoke City and that's where he started life at West Ham under Slaven Bilic, somewhat disrupted by his red card at Southampton in just his second start for the club and was even touted with a move away from the capital after a poor start to life in E20.

But with Bilic getting the heave and Moyes coming in, Arnautovic was a different animal from November onwards and he's continued that form into pre-season ahead of the new campaign, where he bagged five goals in seven outings.

With Javier Hernandez being told he is a key member of the squad by new manager Manuel Pellegrini, talk turned to Arnautovic maybe being moved back to the left wing to accommodate the Mexican.

But oh no, Arnautovic flat out wants to be a striker this season and he said as much as Sky Sports' Premier League launch show when he was asked if he could move positions this season.

(Image: Steve Bardens/Getty Images)

He said: "I remember the first few games, I remember how I know myself as a player and that wasn't it, it was very bad. When I moved here [to striker] seeing my statistics now I want to play as a striker, score goals and help the team as a striker."

"When I was 17, 18 in the Dutch league they sometimes played me as a striker but I was always a winger. I like this position, you feel free, always towards the goals and provide assists, it's a good position.

(Image: Lynne Cameron/Getty Images)

"I am not the kind of player who runs away from the ball, I want the ball at my feet and do something."

Arnautovic also shed some light on his struggles under Bilic, who was eventually booted out of the club with them in the bottom three following a 4-1 trouncing by Liverpool at the London Stadium.

The centre forward didn't hold back, saying: "There was a lot of bad results in home games, we did not well at all. It was ups and downs, a really difficult season, no-one expected us to be where we were last season and it was just bad, not good.

"Nothing worked out well, lost to Man Utd 4-0 then we lost the two next games, I got sent off, so nothing went well. We had a lot of ups and downs, it was not good."

There is now an air of change in east London after the arrival of Manuel Pellegrini at the helm in the capital and having brought in eight new signings, with potentially two more to follow.

"Not only on paper, we have some great signings," Arnautovic said.

(Image: Julian Finney/Getty Images)

"They are hungry guys who want to come and show themselves in the toughest league, the Premier League, it's a very hard league.

"The gaffer has changed a lot here, he wants us to play from the back, no long balls and chasing balls, we have to defend our balls but we have to defend our goal properly first then we go forward.

"I hope I will score more than 11, I will start from the first game. I was not happy at the start of last season, more disappointed than anyone else. I am fit, ready and hungry for the next season.

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