West Ham Lining Up Right-Back Replacement for Pablo Zabaleta in January

West Ham are hatching a plan to replace outgoing right-back Pablo Zabaleta in the January transfer window.

The 34-year-old is entering the final six months of his contract with the Hammers and will not be granted an extension on his current deal.

According to ​Football Insider, the east London club are lining up competition for defender Ryan Fredericks, who has been West Ham's first choice right-back this season – although no player is named. 

Zabaleta has barely challenged for a starting spot this campaign, having only made two ​Premier League starts but although on the fringes, he is due to remain with the club until the summer.

The Argentine's last outing for the Hammers was in November, during the 3-2 home loss to ​Newcastle and the veteran full-back didn't even complete the full 90.

He was given a torrid time by French winger Allan Saint-Maximin, whose pace and trickery proved too much for Zabaleta – and boss Manuel Pellegrini replaced him with Fredericks.

This season, former Fulham man Fredericks has been the man to grab the shirt from Zabaleta and has started all of the Hammers' 15 other top flight matches.

He may be entering into the latter stages of his career, but Zabaleta has been an incredible servant to the top tier of English football.

Before moving to ​West Ham in 2017, the man capped 58 times by Argentina, he spent nine trophy-laden years at ​Manchester City where he lifted many domestic honours.

Zabaleta won the Premier League twice with the Citizens as well as two League Cups and one FA Cup as part of a spell in which he chalked up a total of 333 appearances for the club.

Manchester is where he will be most fondly remembered but he has also proven a wily capture for West Ham, having arrived for free two and a half years ago. Although a peripheral figure this season, he was a mainstay in the team in his first two campaigns, bringing a wealth of experience to the Hammers' dressing room.