West Ham will go into their final Premier League game of the season at Burnley on Sunday with an outside chance of finishing in the top-half of the table.
Slaven Bilic’s men were thumped 4-0 at home by Liverpool last weekend to end their debut campaign at the London Stadium in disappointing circumstances, given they won just seven of their 19 league games there, losing eight.
However, they will have the chance to finish on a high and potentially grab a top ten finish with victory at Turf Moor on Sunday, before attentions inevitably turn to the summer and what business manager Bilic can do to move the Hammers up the Premier League table.
And one man they have been linked with in recent times is Manchester City defender Pablo Zabaleta, who will leave the Etihad Stadium when his contract expires this summer.
The Argentine spent nine years in the north west and was a key part of their two Premier League title-winning sides, and he played his final ever home game on Tuesday when he came on as a substitute in their 3-1 win over West Brom.
In what was an emotional evening in Manchester, the 32-year-old took to Twitter to thank the City fans for their support during his time at the club, and it also stimulated quite the response from West Ham fans, with many hoping to see Zabaleta in the claret and blue next season…
@pablo_zabaleta @PW57WHU I hope you sign for West HAM Pablo!!
— Roy Oliver Jessep (@royjessep1) May 17, 2017
@pablo_zabaleta Been a great servant to City, would love you to now come to West Ham, you are a player we need to bring leadership to the team
— Gary Eve (@gseve05) May 17, 2017
@pablo_zabaleta Come to West Ham
— Keelan (@Koulatte) May 17, 2017
@mrpmills @Sport_Witness Yeah, seems very likely. I like him, but I don’t think we need more players who are losing their edge
— Chris (@The_Wilkerson) May 16, 2017
While some fans agreed with Sir Trevor Brooking’s comments about the defender, saying that he is exactly the sort of leader the Hammers need to move forward next season…
@5liveSport @fenhammer Be a great signing for his leadership,but for playing right back,hes far to slow now, he would be better off, as a holding midfielder.
— Dazza Patmore (@DarrenPatmore) May 17, 2017
@5liveSport @BBCMOTD Well said Trev
— Gavlaar (@gavblake14) May 16, 2017