CHINESE Super League champion Shanghai SIPG confirmed the capture of Austria international forward Marko Arnautovic from English Premier League club West Ham United on Monday.

SIPG, which won the Chinese title for the first time last season and is currently in third in the league, made the announcement on its official social media outlets.

The 30-year-old’s signing sees Vitor Pereira’s side strengthen their attacking options with a little less than half of the Chinese league season remaining.

Arnautovic joins former Chelsea midfielder Oscar and his fellow Brazilian Hulk in Shanghai and his arrival is expected to be followed by the departure of striker Elkeson, who has been heavily linked with a return to Guangzhou Evergrande. SIPG is two points adrift of league leader Beijing Guoan with 14 games remaining and is also due to play Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds in the quarterfinals of the Asian Champions League next month.

Meanwhile, Shanghai Shenhua introduced former AC Milan and AS Roma winger Stephan El Shaarawy and South Korean striker Kim Shin-wook on Monday. (SD-Agencies)