Jose Fonte left West Ham in February to join Chinese Super League side Dalian Yifang.
David Moyes is suffering a defensive crisis at the London Stadium after West Ham United lost centre-back Winston Reid to a season-ending knee injury, so should they regret the sale of Jose Fonte?
Reid, 29, was stretchered off at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday afternoon after picking up the problem in the first half, being replaced by Sam Byram who has also been ruled out until the summer with an ankle problem.
James Collins missed Saturday’s 4-1 loss to Swansea through injury, while Angelo Ogbonna missed the match through illness and it remains to be seen if he will be fit for Saturday’s clash against Burnley.
With Reece Oxford on loan at Borussia Monchengladbach and Reece Burke turning out for Championship side Bolton Wanderers on a temporary basis, the Hammers are down to the bare bones.
Against Sean Dyche’s side, Moyes could only have Declan Rice to choose from, though Italy international Ogbonna is expected to return in time to face the Clarets on home turf.
But with a lack of options at centre-back, surely the Hammers should regret selling Euro 2016 winner Fonte for what the Times claim was a fee of £4.3million to Chinese Super League side Dalian Yifang.
Fonte now earns a huge £120,000 a week according to the report, £50,000 more than his weekly wage at West Ham, but the Hammers will be ruing their decision to sell the Portuguese – especially without being able to reinvest his transfer fee.
With only Rice and potentially Ogbonna around for Saturday’s clash against Burnley, Moyes will be wishing he had Fonte to choose from to face the Lancashire-based side.
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