Mauro Zarate spent 18 months at West Ham United.
Former West Ham United player Mauro Zarate has told Tycsports he suddenly left the club after being played out of position.
The Argentine playmaker joined West Ham in 2014 on a three-year deal.
Capable of playing as an attacking midfielder or upfront, Zarate became a popular player among supporters for his flair and creative playing style.
But in a surprise twist, he left the Hammers midway through his second season.
“I arrived at West Ham and started to have a good level, but I decided to go because I didn’t like the position I was playing in. The people loved me a lot and I have beautiful memories there,” Zarate explained.
Slaven Bilic took over West Ham from the start of the 2015-16 campaign.
Zarate, now 33, made 15 Premier League appearances that season. He scored three goals, while averaging 1.3 key passes and 1.9 shots per game (Whoscored).
His role in the side, however, changed with Dimitri Payet taking up a free role while Manuel Lanzini, Victor Moses and Michail Antonio had supporting roles.
His exit was sudden, joining Fiorentina midway through the January transfer window.
Zarate made a brief return to the Premier League with Watford, but his spell was short-lived after suffering a cruciate ligament injury.
Bilic, meanwhile, lasted one more full season at West Ham before being replaced by David Moyes in the 2017-18 campaign.
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