Zabaleta joins West Ham on 2-year contract
West Ham United announced Friday the club has signed Argentine full-back Pablo Zabaleta to a two-year contract, with the defender set to join after his deal with Manchester City expires on July 1.
Zabaleta has spent the last nine seasons at City, where he has amassed over 300 appearances. The 32-year-old said he turned down other offers from Italy and Spain in order to remain in the Premier League next season and added it is an "absolute pleasure" to join West Ham.
"I hope I can give you good moments," Zabaleta said, in a statement to the club's supporters. "Of course, I come to the club to enjoy myself and hopefully we can have a very successful time.
"Manchester City gave me the opportunity to come to this wonderful league, the Premier League, something I've been enjoying a lot as a player and of course for me it was probably the right time to move on.
"Also, as a player, I thought I wanted to keep playing in the Premier League. For me, after being in this country for so long, this is a new challenge for me in the Premier League and I'm ready for it and looking forward to it."
The move comes at the right time for Slaven Bilic's side, as West Ham released full-back Alvaro Arbeloa from its roster earlier in the week
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