The co chairman has been working day and night to nail down the deal and said: “I have been working on this solid for the last ten days since Manchester City gave us permission to speak to the player and I am absolutely delighted that Pablo has agreed to become a Hammer!”
And he added: “He is a top player and a supreme professional. He plays for one of the top countries in the world in Argentina and he’ll be a fantastic addition to our squad.
“We are thoroughly looking forward to seeing not only what Pablo himself can do on the pitch, but also the positive effect he can have on the promising young players in our squad, who he will no doubt mentor and guide during his time with us.”
Zabaleta is tipped to help young right-back Sam Byram but with Reece Oxford, Reece Burke and Declan Rice, also coming through the ranks, Zabaletta’s incredibly influential presence will have a big effect.