Leaving Manchester City after eight years at the club to join West Ham on a free, few predicted Pablo Zabaleta would remain a key part of the Hammers’ side throughout the 2018-19 season.
At 34 years of age, the fullback is proving many wrong, with 22 Premier League appearances so far this season under Manuel Pellegrini, and he might stay a bit longer.
Speaking to Fox Sports in Argentina, the veteran defender was asked about a possible return to San Lorenzo, the club where his professional career started, but that isn’t something Zabaleta is thinking about just yet.
He said, relayed by El Intransigente: “My contract in England ends in June, and I have the possibility of renewing. In any case, things change in football and we’ll wait for the right time. I’m happy here. I’ve done all my career in England, 11 years.
“My family is happy living in London. I came to West Ham to continue to play and get minutes. That’s what I was looking for and I’ve been a starter in 80% of the games.”
There will come a time when the Hammers will have to start thinking about replacing the Argentine full-time, which will mean either investing in someone at the position for a starting role or handing it full-time to Ryan Fredericks.
Our guess is West Ham might go for the former.
