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Could Pablo Zabaleta’s arrival at West Ham United be bad news for Sam Byram?

West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic (REUTERS)
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Sam Byram has started six of West Ham United’s last eight matches.

Pablo Zabaleta’s potential arrive at West Ham United could be bad news for Sam Byram’s hopes of continuing in Slaven Bilic’s first-team.

Byram has started six of West Ham’s last eight matches at right-back, and he seems to be growing into his role at the London Stadium.

The former Leeds United man has clearly found the step up to Premier League level difficult, but more recently he has started to show signs of his quality.

Manchester City's Pablo Zabaleta celebrates at full time

However, West Ham’s transfer plans could undo this progress, and demote him to reserve again.

The Sun claim that Slaven Bilic is plotting a move for Zabaleta, and is prepared to offer the Manchester City defender £100,000-a-week to move to West Ham.

West Ham's Sam Byram receives instructions

With those wages on offer, Bilic clearly sees the 32-year-old as a permanent starter at West Ham, as he would be one of the top earners in the team.

And Bilic must weigh up whether blocking Byram’s progress, by bringing in Zabaleta would be a good move for the future, given the Argentine defender’s advancing years.

Manchester City's Pablo Zabaleta shoots at goal