Transfer Centre

Pablo Zabaleta open to remaining in Premier League next season

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 18 May 2017

Pablo Zabaleta believes that the Premier League is "the greatest competition in the world", but admits that potentially facing off against Man City "would be tough".

Outgoing Manchester City defender Pablo Zabaleta has admitted that he has no problem joining another Premier League club this summer.

The 32-year-old is to leave the Etihad Stadium when his contract expires in the coming weeks, bringing an end to his nine-year association with the Citizens.

Zabaleta is widely considered to be close to agreeing terms with West Ham United, but he also has other offers on the table from sides in Spain and Italy.

After playing his final home game for City earlier this week - a 3-1 win over West Bromwich Albion - Zabaleta says that he is now considering where to spend his remaining two years in senior football.

"I would not be the first to leave a club after so many years and come back in a different shirt," BBC Sport quotes him as saying. "It is time to move on. I am not getting any younger but I can play for two more years and have got offers from different countries.

"The Premier League is the greatest competition in the world and to come back and play against City would be tough. We will see what happens at the end of the season."

Zabaleta, a £6.5m signing from Espanyol in 2008, bows out of City after making 333 appearances for the club.