Southampton defender Jose Fonte is reportedly wanted by Everton and Manchester United.
According to The Mirror, Southampton defender Jose Fonte has so far resisted the club’s attempts to tie him down to a new contract, with Everton and Manchester United both interested.
Fonte, 32, has been a key player for Southampton ever since signing from Crystal Palace in January 2010, and has been a mainstay in the club’s rise from League One back to the Premier League.
Southampton’s Jose Fonte in action with West Ham United’s Simone Zaza
Captain of the Saints since 2014, Fonte has racked up almost 300 appearances for Southampton in almost seven years at the club, and has excelled in the heart of the defence despite playing with a host of centre back partners, including Dejan Lovren, Toby Alderweireld and now Virgil van Dijk.
Now though, The Mirror claim that Fonte is resisting Southampton’s attempts to extend his contract, and Premier League rivals Everton and Manchester United are both keeping tabs on him.
Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero in action with Southampton’s Jose Fonte
Everton boss Ronald Koeman managed Fonte at Southampton, and with question marks over the long-term future of Phil Jagielka, Koeman may want to bring Fonte in to solidify his defence alongside Ashley Williams.
Meanwhile, Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has chopped and changed his defence this season, but having a reliable centre back like his Portuguese compatriot Fonte – who won the European Championships with his country over the summer – would certainly make life easier for the United boss.
Manchester United’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic in action with Southampton’s Jose Fonte
The report adds that Fonte was offered a bumper £80,000-a-week contract by Southampton, which would have made him the club’s highest-paid player, but he snubbed that offer and still isn’t close to signing a new deal.
It’s also claimed that Southampton failed to tell Fonte that Everton offered £9m to sign him over the summer, with the centre back allegedly unhappy that the offer was kept secret from him – and Everton could make another move for him in the near future.
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