According to the Daily Mail, West Ham have lined up Manchester United club captain Antonio Valencia as a potential replacement for Pablo Zabaleta should the former Argentine international hang up his boots at the end of the season.
Zabaleta is yet to confirm whether he will continue playing next season and the Hammers have considered the possibility of bringing in Valencia on a free transfer. (h/t Daily Mail)
The same report also claims that Valencia might be heading for the exit door at Old Trafford upon the expiry of his contract at the end of the season and there haven’t been any talks over a new deal till now.
The 33-year-old Ecuadorian international made his move to United back in 2009 from Wigan Athletic and has gone on to write his name in the club’s history books as a legend, accumulating 25 goals and 62 assists from 338 appearances across all competitions. One of the few remaining stars of Sir Alex’s golden era, Valencia has been a wonderful servant to the club and he is currently into his 10th season at Old Trafford.
However, it hasn’t been one of his most memorable seasons at United, with the 33-year-old spending large chunks of the campaign on the sidelines due to recurrent injuries. Despite struggling for match fitness, he continues to be United’s designated club captain.
Meanwhile, West Ham’s interest in the veteran might surprise a few fans. Whether or not it is logical for Manuel Pellegrini to replace Zabaleta with someone who is hardly seven months younger can definitely be put up for debate but, in reality, West Ham can only dream of acquiring the services of someone like Valencia on a free transfer. Given that the Hammers won’t have to dip into their kitty to sign Valencia, they might find it easier to cope with his £100,000-a-week wages.
Pablo Zabaleta has once again reminded the West Ham fans that age is just a mere number. The Man City legend has impressed with his solid performances at right-back and he is one of the reasons why West Ham find themselves in the race for a top-ten finish. Ryan Fredericks, who was signed at the start of the season to provide cover and competition for Zabaleta, has found himself on the treatment table more often than not and the veteran has, in fact, bailed the Hammers out of a potential burnout.
Now, with all the speculations surroundings Zabaleta’s future, Valencia would be a like-for-like replacement in all aspects. While he won’t provide the Hammers with a long-term solution, he still has some gas left in his tank to play at the highest level.
In all honesty, he is still one of the best offensive-minded full-backs in the Premier League when he is fit and running. Furthermore, someone like Valencia, who can operate as a right-winger as well, can turn out to be a valuable asset to Pellegrini’s free-flowing attacking system.
There won’t be any shortage of suitors for Valencia when his contract expires at the end of the season and West Ham can bag a massive coup by acquiring his services on a free transfer.