Premier League side Southampton are thought to have agreed a deal to sell contract-rebel Jose Fonte, with the defender set to move to West Ham United.
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The Portuguese centre-back has submitted a transfer request in recent weeks after failing to reach a deal with the club in terms of extending his contract, which ends in 18 months’ time. The move is thought to have disappointed Southampton fans, who consider the player a favourite.
True enough, Fonte has been with the club for a long time. He made the move to St Mary’s in 2010 from Crystal Palace and has been a key figure in the Saints’ rise to the Premier League. This season alone, Fonte has appeared in 19 matches for the club, missing only four league games.
But now, it appears Fonte’s time with Southampton has come to an end. According to ESPN, Southampton have obliged Fonte’s request for a transfer and have agreed to sell him to West Ham for a fee of £8m.
Southampton, while understandably saddened by the departure of a key figure in their squad, would be better off without Fonte at this time, and here are three reasons why.
Fonte’s defensive skills have waned
Fonte at his peak was a solid defender for the Saints. Just two seasons ago, he was pivotal in Southampton’s7th place finish in the league, which gained them a Europa League spot. During this time, Fonte was almost impenetrable in defence, keeping big clubs like Arsenal, Manchester United, and Liverpool from scoring – they have kept 14 clean sheets with Fonte in the team.
This season, however, is a different story. True enough, Southampton has lost seven of their 19 matches this season with Fonte in the team – a 36% loss percentage, compared to only four losses in 14 (28%) without the Portuguese centre-back.
Fonte’s sale will bring huge profit
Fonte moved to Southampton from Crystal Palace back in January of 2010, for a reported fee of roughly £1.2m. This means, should the Saints sell the player to West Ham for £8m, they will have profited big-time from Fonte – a £6.8m windfall, to be exact, enough to bolster Southampton’s transfer fund, which they can use elsewhere.
Fonte is getting old
The Portuguese defender, at 33 years of age, is still capable of playing well, but no longer at the level where he was two to three seasons ago. Sure, Southampton will definitely miss having Fonte’s presence in the locker room, but on the pitch, a solid defensive replacement, one much younger, will ultimately be more preferable.