West Ham United will reportedly make a move for Antonio Valencia if Pablo Zabaleta quits this summer.
West Ham have made Antonio Valencia their top target this summer should Pablo Zabaleta decide that he is ready to leave the London Stadium, according to a report from The Sun.
Zabaleta’s future with the Hammers appears to be up in the air. The Argentinian is considering retiring at the end of the campaign, and could be offered a backroom role at Manchester City, according to The Sun.
West Ham reportedly hope that the right-back will stay beyond this summer, but The Sun reports that Valencia is the man that they would want as their number one target to replace Zabaleta should he call it a day.
The Sun adds that Valencia’s £100,000-a-week deal at Manchester United expires in the summer, and there are no plans to discuss extending his terms at Old Trafford.
Valencia has been a fantastic servant to his current club, making over 330 appearances in all competitions and captaining the side since the start of this campaign.
He therefore, appears to be an excellent potential replacement for Zabaleta if the 34-year-old does retire. Some West Ham fans may have their concerns about replacing a veteran with a player who is less than seven months younger. But perhaps on a free transfer, it could prove to be an incredibly shrewd piece of business.
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