The 33-year-old skipper has 18 months left to run on his current deal with the club, which he signed in October 2015 but has opted to leave the club.
Southampton’s director of football, Les Reed, has said that the player has had a chance to sign a new and improved deal, but instead the player asked to leave the club. ‘He’s had several opportunities to improve the contract situation. He’s reserved his right not to do that’, Reed told the BBC.
Reed went on to confirm the club have not yet received any formal bid for the Portuguese player, who has made 288 appearances since joining from Crystal Palace in January 2010.
During the summer, Fonte was linked with Premier League heavyweights, Manchester United after helping his country to success in Euro 2016. Fonte also wrote on his Instagram last month: ‘…Southampton are not offering me a new contract.’ which could be a sign that he may be heading towards Manchester. However, the clubs director of football insists that new terms have been offered to the centre back, he told BBC Sport: ‘What was offered to Jose was, in my view, quite significant off the back of the contract he signed in October 2015’.
