LONDON (AFP) - Controversial Austrian forward Marko Arnautovic has joined Stoke City from Werder Bremen on a four-year contract, the English Premier League club announced on Monday.

The 24-year-old Austria international is new manager Mark Hughes's fourth close-season signing, following the arrivals of Dutch left-back Erik Pieters, Spanish defender Marc Muniesa and Moroccan midfielder Oussama Assaidi, who joined on loan from Liverpool.

"Stoke City are delighted to sign Austria international winger Marko Arnautovic from German side Werder Bremen," read a statement on Stoke's Facebook page.

"He joins on a four-year deal for an undisclosed fee."

Arnautovic developed a reputation as a troublemaker during a brief spell at Inter Milan, where he worked under current Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho, and also fell foul of his employers at Bremen due to poor time-keeping and off-pitch indiscretions.