West Ham United have seemingly earmarked Southampton’s Jose Fonte as the man they want to bolster their defensive options.
A report from Sky Sports has suggested that West Ham United are now in advanced talks to sign Southampton defender Jose Fonte.
The Sun reported earlier in the window that the Hammers had made a £4 million bid for the 33-year-old, who was also attracting the attention of Everton and Crystal Palace this month.
Southampton’s Jose Fonte in action
But it appears that Slaven Bilic’s men could be about to win the race as Sky Sports is now suggesting that negotiations over the potential deal to take the Saints captain to the London Stadium are at an advanced stage.
It would certainly be a surprise if Fonte had too many qualms about a move given that he wants to leave St Mary’s after claiming that he will not be offered the chance to extend his contract beyond the final 18 months that it has left to run.
While West Ham’s defensive record this season suggests that Bilic is right to target adding further depth in that area, and looking at Southampton is not a bad idea given that their own record at the back, it is perhaps a surprise that the Hammers have targeted Fonte.
The Portuguese is starting to reach the twilight of his career and his form has arguably not been as strong as it has been in previous years.
But if Bilic feels that he still has plenty to offer, then it may prove to be a very astute signing given how Fonte has generally played since the Saints returned to the Premier League.
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