According to reports emerging from Italy, West Ham United have secured a major deal for the start of next season. Pablo Zabaleta, the highly-rated Manchester City defender, has decided to ply his trade in the Premier League only but in West Ham United colours. According to the same reports, the Argentine international will sign a three-year contract with the East London club once his contract expires in June.
Man City currently have a number of side-backs in the thirties and Pep Guardiola is expected to let go of a host of players including Zabaleta. The 31-year-old has lost his place in the starting lineup last season but whenever he has been called up he has given his best. Zabaleta’s contract is expiring in June and he hasn’t been offered a new contract.
The 32-year-old has been one of the consistent defenders of the Premier League and has two Premier League medals in his tally. He moved from Espanyol in 2008 and has gone on to establish himself as one of the prolific right backs of the English top tier. Zabaleta has so far featured in 328 games for the SkyBlues and has netted on 11 occasions.
Slaven Bilic has had his problems with the right back section. He decided the take a gamble by signing Alvaro Arbeloa from Real Madrid but that hasn’t paid off. Arbeloa is yet to get fit from an injury he suffered long back. Sam Byram has failed to take the chance and Bilic has had to deploy Cheikhou Kouyate on an emergency basis to solve the crisis.
Zabaleta was more interested to sign for us than Sagna was. Hence the deal being negotiated and nearly finalised.
Will be a good signing imo— IronsHome (@Irons_Home) April 3, 2017
Pablo Zabaleta actually leaving us for nothing to a Premier League club breaks my hearts, always a legend at my club ????
— ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ (@SterlingFIair) April 5, 2017
West Ham want to sign Wilshere and Zabaleta? No, it’s just another scam to get us to renew…remember Bacca. Shame on the board #whu
— Rosetta (@Boleyn1986) April 2, 2017
No no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no @pablo_zabaleta why must you leave us we will miss you ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? https://t.co/OZJ6nIfbHZ
— katy fitzpatrick (@kathy121255) April 5, 2017
Players I’d sign in the summer:
Jordan Pickford
Lamine Kone
Pablo Zabaleta
Jack Wilshere (loan)
Adama Traore
Lucas Perez
Jermain Defoe.— Aran (@AranNicolWHUFC) April 3, 2017
@pablo_zabaleta so sorry you are going ????our Warrior ????????you will always be a True Blue to us and we Love you ????????????????????????????????????????
— Katey (@kateylangridge) April 5, 2017
Please please @pablo_zabaleta go and join a club abroad, I can’t face seeing you line up against us. #legend
— Deb H (@bluemoon219) April 5, 2017
Brilliant player. Brilliant servant. Brilliant man. If the end is coming, it needs to be a good one. Ohhhh Pablo Zabaleta… pic.twitter.com/dLek2wuuSJ
— ???????? (@HWestwoodP) April 5, 2017
Gutted! ???? @pablo_zabaleta @ManCity https://t.co/fjOZxxky0p
— Wanda Louise Halpin (@loulou4267) April 5, 2017