West Ham United are reportedly considering a move for Manchester United defender Antonio Valencia next summer.
The Hammers are keen to tie Pablo Zabaleta down to a new deal at the London Stadium, but The Sun reports that he is considering retiring in the summer. And that has seemingly left Manuel Pellegrini considering potential targets.
The report suggests that Jose Mourinho has not been overly impressed with Valencia – seemingly hinting that he will not be offered a new deal at Old Trafford – and the Irons are weighing up a potential approach when his deal expires with Pellegrini said to be a massive fan of the defender.
The Sun adds that Valencia is attracting attention from Spain and Italy, which could make West Ham’s task slightly more challenging given that their rivals for his signature can begin discussions over a move as early as January.
If Valencia – who earns £100,000-a-week, according to Spotrac – can emulate Zabaleta if he joins West Ham, he would be a fantastic signing for the Hammers.
Zabaleta has turned into an inspired addition since arriving from the other side of Manchester, and Valencia would potentially be a decent option to fill the void if he does quit the Irons in the summer.
He brings a wealth of experience and leadership, so it is not particularly difficult to see why Pellegrini would be interested to turn to the former Wigan Athletic ace if his current stalwart calls it a day.
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