Free agent Zabaleta joins West Ham on two-year contract

REUTERS - West Ham United have signed full back Pablo Zabaleta on a two-year deal, the Premier League club said on Friday. The 32-year-old Argentine will leave Manchester City when his contract expires at the end of next month and arrive at the London Stadium on July 1. Zabaleta made more than 300 appearances at City, winning two Premier League titles, two League Cups and an FA Cup title during his nine-year spell at the Etihad Stadium. "This is an absolute pleasure to be part of West Ham United Football Club," Zabaleta told the club website. "Sometimes a new challenge is all you need as a person and as a player. I thought my time at City was done. "Also, as a player, I thought I wanted to keep playing in the Premier League..after being in this country for so long, this is a new challenge for me and I'm ready for it." Zabaleta will compete with 23-year-old Sam Byram for the right-back spot in Slaven Bilic's side. (Reporting by Hardik Vyas in Bengaluru; Editing by Hugh Lawson)