Valencia would be brilliant West Ham replacement if Zabaleta decides to retire

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West Ham United are eyeing up Manchester United defender Antonio Valencia with designs on a summer move, according to the Sun.

They report that current first-choice right back Pablo Zabaleta is weighing up whether or not to retire at the end of the current season, which would push Manuel Pellegrini into the market for a replacement.

West Ham apparently want Zabaleta to stay but the Argentine may take the decision out of the club’s hands and Valencia’s contract situation at Old Trafford creates the opportunity for him to come to east London.

The United skipper’s current deal runs out at the end of the season and there has been no development on an extension.

Zabaleta may apparently be offered a behind-the-scenes role at his former club Manchester City and Valencia’s reported £100,000 per week wages would reportedly be affordable for the Hammers if Zabaleta left.

And while Valencia is not the force he once was, he is still an impressive athlete, with great experience and would be an ideal free replacement for Zabaleta if he were to leave.

His engine remains as good as ever, his recovery pace is better than Zabaleta’s and he can swing in a good delivery from the right, which means he fits into the front-foot style of play Pellegrini is trying to bring to the London Stadium.

Zabaleta’s departure would see the dressing room lose a strong influence and a winner but bringing in a man who has won the Premier League title twice would also help to fill that void.