The Saints captain joined the Hammers in an £8 million deal on Friday.
New West Ham United signing Jose Fonte has told the club’s official website that he chose to join the club because of the passion of their supporters and the ambition of the club and Slaven Bilic.
The Southampton captain left the south coast club after six-and-a-half years to join the Hammers this week after handing in a transfer request at St. Mary’s.
He became the Irons’ first January signing, and his capture has addressed the flimsiness of Bilic’s defence, which has conceded 35 goals in 21 Premier League games.
In making the move, Fonte has swapped a club in 13th place on 24 points for the club in 12th place on 25 points.
However, he insists that it is the ambition of the West Ham project that helped to convince him to make the move, along with the passion of the club’s supporters and the influence of Bilic.
Fonte told the club’s website: “I signed for West Ham because they are a great club and a very big club. They have a lot of fans and I have known for a number of years how passionate they are. The manager was also a very big influence. I thought that he really wanted me and that he sold me the project and the ambition of the club.
“I also have part of my family living in London and they are big West Ham fans. It just made sense for me at this stage to join West Ham. It is a new challenge and a new beginning and I am looking forward to it.
“With the way that West Ham is going we can only look to be challenging in the top eight. I told the manager in conversations that we want to win and we want to win trophies. The ambition is big and we need to aim high. West Ham are a massive club and it is an exciting challenge and it should be for everyone. We all need to get together and start working.”
Fonte was unavailable for Saturday’s clash with Middlesbrough but will be eligible for selection from hereon in.
He will be expected to be the leader in the backline as the Hammers look to climb the table in the final months of the campaign.
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