Southampton club captain Jose Fonte has handed in a transfer request.
The 33-year-old Portugal defender has 18 months left to run on his current deal, which he signed in October 2015.
Southampton’s director of football Les Reed says the player has had the chance to sign an improved deal, but Fonte has now asked to leave the club.
“He’s had several opportunities to improve the contract situation. He’s reserved his right not to do that,” Reed told BBC Radio Solent.
"He’s made it very clear he would like to explore the opportunities for a transfer.
“That’s where we are at the moment, Jose wants to leave the club. He’s formally asked for a transfer.”
Reed went on to confirm the club have not yet received any formal bid for the player, who joined Saints from Crystal Palace in January 2010, and has made 288 appearances.
Fonte was linked with a move to Manchester United in the summer after helping his country win Euro 2016, and he wrote on Instagram last month: “Just to set the record straight I did not reject a new contract. In fact, I have been informed by Southampton that they are not offering me a new contract.”
However, Reed insists new terms have been offered to the former Benfica player: "What was offered to Jose was, in my view, quite significant off the back of the contract he signed in October 2015.
“Six months later we were prepared to improve that contract and extend it. He has turned down the opportunity to increase his salary, and he’s turned down the opportunity to get another permanent year on his contract.”
Listening to the audio interview Les said that unless they get a significant fee and have time to find a replacement then he ain’t going nowhere. He also says he expects him to still be here come the end of the window.
I’m confused though. Fonte says they didn’t offer him new contract (or an extension to the existing one)… but Les says that he was. So was he after a longer contract or simply that his billy big bollox agent has said he’ll get him a better rate of pay at another club?
I’m guessing it is more likely the latter scenario. Proof will be in the pudding when he goes and it is revealled the length of his new deal at the new club.
So where is he going to go? The obvious… Liverpool (half a chance that he may make Lovren look better again), Man Utd (as they were apparently after him in the summer) or Everton (because their centre backs are not great and ageing… I know Fonte isnt a spring chicken but this is football at the end of the day!)
He’s been a great servant to us but equally we’ve been great for his career. Would he have got to his position if he was playing elsewhere? We’ll never know but I’m sure we have aided his international career. I don’t think anyone will either want him or bid enough. Man Utd have gone elsewhere now. Who’s going to pay what we want for a 33? I suppose Everton paid a bit for Williams. Lets sell him to Everton for £10m
It’s been on the cards for ages, He obviously thinks he deserves better than playing for us, so good luck to him, thanks for the past service etc. etc.
TBH I’ve had enough of his sulking and continual whingeing to the media. I thought better of him. It can’t be good for squad moral when your captain so publicly wants away.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve always had a lot of respect for Jose and appreciate what he’s done for us but he’s been acting more like a petulant child than a senior pro since the euro’s. It’s best for all parties for him to go.
As always though, the timing is shit. If we were sat on 30 + points at this stage then fair enough. The ‘Super Agent’ strikes again! They really are ruining top flight football.
Dear Les, please sell him to a Portuguese club for a change. Scratch that, a Chinese club so that we get a fuck tonne of cash and he can go hang out with Graziano and his hot Mrs.
With my sensible head on, I dont blame him for casting about for one last massive payout - he is 33, has one more contract in him and his stock has never been higher.
I suspect so too. His agent wouldn’t be doing his job if he had not already found potential suitors and allowed him to make a formal request.
Still no guarantee that we will get offered the fee we are wanting though. The buying club will now try and fuck us over a barrel, in the knowledge that the player wants out. The alternative, as always, is keep an unhappy and potentially disruptive player. Damned if we do, damned if we don’t.
