With Pablo Zabaleta having left West Ham United when his contract expired on June 30th, there’s hope from Argentine clubs he could return to his home country.
The fullback was not renewed by the Hammers and is now a free agent, which makes him a more affordable signing for South American sides.
Zabaleta spoke to Fox Sports this week, and was asked about the chances of a move back to his old club San Lorenzo.
“I do not want to close the doors to San Lorenzo, but there are other issues and priorities”, Zabaleta told Fox Sports (via El Litoral).
“My relationship with the club will always be there, whether I come back or not. I will always be grateful for life to San Lorenzo because they gave me the opportunity, they trained me as a player and as a person, and I try not to forget that.”
With the Argentine league still to resume, the 35-year-old says that should be a problem for clubs who want to sign him.
“I don’t want to rule anything out, you have to wait a little to see how the situation is in the coming weeks. I also don’t want to promise that returning to Argentina is a priority because it’s not, since the AFA and the clubs are evaluating what is the ideal date to resume training, there’s nothing defined and that perhaps makes it a little more difficult.”
Zabaleta also claims he has other options, so he should still analyse all the offers he gets.
“If Tinelli calls me, it’s an option to evaluate because I can have two or three alternatives.”
The Argentine media has been linking Zabaleta’s departure from West Ham with the possible arrival of River Plate right-back Gonzalo Montiel.
Earlier today, we covered local claims saying the transfer depends on the Hammers’ stay in the Premier League. The Buenos Aires side are said to be ready to find a deal for his sale.
