Lille have opened the door for Jose Fonte to make an emotional return to Southampton with the veteran defender on his way out of the Ligue 1 outfit this summer.
They say you should ‘never go back’. But Jose Fonte – a Southampton legend, former captain and a veteran of nearly 300 appearances – appears keen to put that theory to the test.
According to talkSPORT, a player who accompanied the Saints from League One to the top-half of the Premier League, via Johnstone’s Paint glory, an EFL Cup final and a Europa League run, is keen to pick up where he left off when leaving Southampton for West Ham back in January 2017.
Fonte will celebrate his 40th birthday in December.
But, considering that he played 33 times in France’s top flight last season, it’s clear to see that there is plenty of life left in this old dog. Fonte, capped 50 times by Portugal, also skippered Lille to Ligue 1 glory as recently as 2020/21.
And, with his contract having ran down, Lille are determined to ensure that Fonte – like fellow title-winner Burak Yilmaz – bids a heroes farewell.
Jose Fonte could make Southampton return
“Today, we have chosen with Paulo (Fonseca) to look for a number one central defender,” president Olivier Letang tells Le11 Lillois. “We are looking for someone who has leadership and the ability to play.
“Jose wants to continue playing. We spoke with him again last Saturday, and we decided that our choice of a number one (centre-back) could not be Jose.
“We will (part ways) in good conditions, as with Burak. It’s important not to have amnesia, and to pay tribute to those who have done great things with us.”
Fonte’s vast experience could come in very handy in a Southampton side who had the joint-youngest average age of any Premier League XI last term; 23.7 years old.
The Saints could also lose centre-halves Mohammed Salisu and Armel Bella-Kotchap before the September 1st deadline.
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