At this point, I feel like the only reason he hasn't is because he wants Arsenal to join in the battle so he can increase his wage demands. Which I'm fine with, since it may also help us play the two off each other get and get a little more money.
I don't really understand why Utd and Arsenal are after him. He's a good player but there are better players around. Are they after him because they know our board will be willing to sell?
I'd say the Arsenal link comes from their injury problems at CB and the proposed Mustafi signing dragging on, almost seems like the sort of link someone would make up. Or from Mendes trying to create competition and a higher wage offer for Fonte.
Just checked skybet and he is 4/9 to remain with us 2/1 Man U , 8/1 Arsenal, 25/1 Everton. So looking at that and skybet are not often wrong.......he's remains with us. However........
Why have these clubs suddenly become aware of Fonte....he's played in the PL for years now. He's part of the successful Portugal side, but (lovely as it was that they won) they weren't that good. I remember Les Reed making some derisory remark about teams deciding on targets based solely on Euro 2016...seems he was right.
In which case I agree with Fran, why wait until now when they might have got Jose for a lower fee before the Euro's?
Someone has posted the picture of a Bentley, F6NTE, on Facebook, taken at SMS 3 hours ago, which would have been just before 5pm, if true, Meeting in progress?
Maybe he was on the radar of other clubs but they weren't sure how he'd handle himself in really big games and the Euros proved he'd be fine. Plus the circumstances at the clubs mentioned. Mourinho is a new manager at Man Utd. It's clear he's assessed their squad and decided it needs more experience and leadership. Arsenal now have something of an injury crisis at centre back and Fonte would be a good, proven, relatively cheap option for them.
He's a useful bridge player. They figure they can get him in for about 10m, which is nothing to them. And they won't have to pay him much. He's solid and dependable, if unspectacular. Good presence in the locker room. Won't make any waves. He's Mourinho's fallback option apparently. Not sure about Arsenal. But signing Fonte gives them a player who is a very good backup, potential starter for now. And that gives them a year or two to find a 25 or 26 year old CB they will shell out 30m+ on.
They'll be sitting around a computer laughing at all the social media/forum comments. Les Reed - "Jose, this one wants Alan Pardew to **** your wife "
Because players get a boost in desirability after they have performed in a successful team in a major tournament. It's the sudden desirability that boosts their price. His price was lower before the tournament because Man U and Arsenal had never even noticed him playing for us. Tragic but true. An excellent read is "Soccernomics". Very, very interesting. http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?sts=t&tn=soccernomics While you're at it, buy http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?sts=t&tn=the numbers game football Two books that are (a) excellent reads and (b) ways to understand what maths (and money) say about football. Vin
I get the feeling Jose is lifting his skirt and flashing his thighs at prospective interested parties. There are some admiring glances, but the only firm offer so far has been from Fran.
