26 July 2017

Ironed Out: Javier Hernandez And Pablo Zabaleta

â€‹By Sam Tonks

It's been quite the summer transfer window so far, with world record fees being banded around and fresh faces arriving into the Premier League by the day. Initially sailing under the radar, West Ham have been bolstering their squad, buying well and the prospects look very exciting for Hammers fans.

The arrival of Pablo Zabaleta on a free transfer kick-started the incomings at London Stadium early into the window. A two-time Premier League winner at Manchester City, the veteran will likely provide vital experience to youngster Sam Byram and adds pedigree to the defence.

A World Cup finalist with Argentina and scorer in one of the Premier Leagueâ€™s most memorable games, City's 3-2 title clincher against QPR, he joins national colleague Manuel Lanzini at the club.

He has appeared in the Premier League more times than any other Argentinian and becomes the seventh from his country to wear Claret and Blue.Â

In 2014, he completed the full set of major honours in England winning the EFL Cup against Sunderland, now fans will hope he can bring success to West Ham.

Zabaleta expressed to the press on his arrival that the club must adopt a new mentality to end their trophy drought, a clear intention of his ambition for the club moving forward, and no one sums up the change in focus like their latest acquisition.

Welcome back to England Javier â€˜Chicharitoâ€™ Hernandez. A two-time Premier League winner, he boasts the fifth-best minutes to goal ratio in Premier League history. There's a stat for you.

The Telegraph are already touting the Â£16 million man as one of the signings of the season, when taking into account his pedigree and the price paid for strikers in the current market, you can see why.

He was the first Mexican to sign for Manchester United back in 2010 and has gone on to play for Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen. At Madrid he scored a crucial winner in their Champions League quarter-final derby against Atletico to send them into the semi-finals.Â

Whilst playing for Leverkusen, he surpassed Rafael Marquez as the most appearances for a Mexican in the Champions League, a total of 47. His nation's all time record goal-scorer is set for his Hammers debut, back at Old Trafford next month.