Jose Fonte

No he's not.

He might not be good enough for us, but it doesn't make him crap.

I would have taken him at the start of the season. But the way Rojo and Jones are playing there is very little point in signing a 33 year old.

I get your point.

I'm a United fan, and if anyone we sign does not make us better then they are crap.

I.E Buttner, Kleberson, Djemba-Djemba etc. all were probably better footballers than you and I, but were not United quality, hence they were crap.

Point is, not good enough for us. We need to start building a proper squad as well as add some nice depth, and he should not be a part of that
 
Makes zero sense if he's coming to us. Jose has repeatedly said he is happy with his centerbacks, and imo if he does bring someone in it should be a significant upgrade on all of them, a big signing. Unless he's really cheap or something.
 
Could be a very good signing, hope we try and get him. For those who are saying we don't need him need to have a look at our defenders, rojo has had a good few weeks which included being lucky to not receive 2 straight reds, jones is currently fit and playing well how long can he stay fit though, smalling is smalling, utterly useless when midfield isn't protecting him. Bailly is off to afcon and his team will most likely go all the way. Add to that fonte has something none of the defenders are capable of which is actually organise the defence and he is a leader, something our defence still lacks.

If he can organise a defence then why are Southampton getting battered every week? The ability of their defenders is grossly overstated, and that includes Van Dijk.

Jones and Rojo are doing well, Bailly will be back in five weeks and your observations on Smalling are simply rubbish. This "only good at defending when protected" narrative is about four weeks old and countered by so many past good performances in sides that practically had no midfield at all (see Carrick-Giggs).

Fonte is a good defender. But we've already got four of them. If we're going to bring in reinforcements then they need to show signs of something special. Like Bailly, in effect. Or Lindelof, in theory. Fonte is neither here nor there.
 
I get your point.

I'm a United fan, and if anyone we sign does not make us better then they are crap.

I.E Buttner, Kleberson, Djemba-Djemba etc. all were probably better footballers than you and I, but were not United quality, hence they were crap.

Point is, not good enough for us. We need to start building a proper squad as well as add some nice depth, and he should not be a part of that

One won a World Cup and the other two are internationals I think you can say the were definitely better!
 
He's a decent PL level defender but I mean he's 33 and Jones/Rojo have come back from the dead so I don't think we'll be in for him nor do I want him.
 
He's not going to China surely. If so, why would he hand in a transfer request? A Chinese club would offer way over the odds and Southampton would fight back a huge smirk as they take the money and run. That appears to be the pattern anyway.
 
He's not going to China surely. If so, why would he hand in a transfer request? A Chinese club would offer way over the odds and Southampton would fight back a huge smirk as they take the money and run. That appears to be the pattern anyway.

Even with the crazy money floating around in Chinese football at the minute. I don't see anyone offering way over the odds for Jose Fonte.
 
Not an interesting purchase given his age. I still think he would be a better centre back than Rojo and Smalling in all likelihood - probably Jones too.
 
Everton i am conivnced he will go there with Koeman. Nailed on.
 
If he can organise a defence then why are Southampton getting battered every week? The ability of their defenders is grossly overstated, and that includes Van Dijk.

Jones and Rojo are doing well, Bailly will be back in five weeks and your observations on Smalling are simply rubbish. This "only good at defending when protected" narrative is about four weeks old and countered by so many past good performances in sides that practically had no midfield at all (see Carrick-Giggs).

Fonte is a good defender. But we've already got four of them. If we're going to bring in reinforcements then they need to show signs of something special. Like Bailly, in effect. Or Lindelof, in theory. Fonte is neither here nor there.

As i said rojo's doing well period included not getting sent off twice not exactly the stuff one expects from someone doing well, My issue with jones is only that he has a history of injuries, i am not a betting man but if i was i would bet on him breaking down at some point rather than not. So my narrative is old is it, then please tell me when this carrick giggs mf played why did everyone consider smalling rubbish, it is only under lvg that he looked decent and he was suddenly hailed as worldclass, his poor performances have restarted now that 2 dm midfield is not there anymore.

Fonte has had his head turned and add to that there seems to be an issue with puel for Southampton players, disgruntled players not playing well for managers they don't like, now that is a script one has seen enough times don't you think.
 
Just don't see this being for us. Signing Fonte would mean one of Jones or Rojo not even making the bench once Bailly comes back. That'd be harsh.

Liverpool seems like a good guess, they really need a CB. Everton possibly.
 
He will probably go to Liverpool and help them massively since Matip and Ragnar Loadbroak are not that good (and one passed away in Vikings ....)

This summer I was ok for him to sign here, but since, Bailly did well, Jones and Rojo too, and Smalling will improve. They're not the greatest level, but to be honest on current form it's enough to challenge for top4

Then IF Fonte comes (the same for Lindelof) it will means that one of our defenders has to leave very soon. Whether it's Smalling on a move, or Blind (and then Rojo to left back) or Darmian etc

I doubt Fonte can come here an stay on the bench when we already have 4 central defenders in the team.

So maybe Lindelof can join thanks to his versatility but if Fonte comes, it would be sure that a defender leaves soon
 
He will probably go to Liverpool and help them massively since Matip and Ragnar Loadbroak are not that good (and one passed away in Vikings ....)

This summer I was ok for him to sign here, but since, Bailly did well, Jones and Rojo too, and Smalling will improve. They're not the greatest level, but to be honest on current form it's enough to challenge for top4

Then IF Fonte comes (the same for Lindelof) it will means that one of our defenders has to leave very soon. Whether it's Smalling on a move, or Blind (and then Rojo to left back) or Darmian etc

I doubt Fonte can come here an stay on the bench when we already have 4 central defenders in the team.

So maybe Lindelof can join thanks to his versatility but if Fonte comes, it would be sure that a defender leaves soon

I believe Ragnar still has more juice left in him then Fonte.
 
I am sure it is coincidence that Mendes is his agent
 
I have a ST at Saints, and while it is a pain that this happens (although used to it) as it unsettles the squad, I'm somewhat ambivalent towards it. Story is that he handed in the request in August and that we have only just now revealed this. Matt Le Tiss also tweeted that his behaviour hasn't been that of a captain, so I guess reports that he has come back from Euro16 a changed man are possibly true. But that is conjecture. I also back the club in this. His agent has tried to strongarm us into both paying him a big wage and extending the contract past June 2018, which we don't want. When he signed his improved contract in Oct 2015, he was going to see out his days with us and then supposedly take up a coaching role. Well that's all out the window now, and I just hope that his agent knows what he is doing.

Why Utd would want him is a mystery. He's OK, but he's so damned slow, and with Utd's resources, why would they settle for anything but the best? At the end of last season, I thought that we needed to think about changing him due to the lack of pace, but then he goes and does a very good Euros. I guess the press see the two Joses and the shared agent and have put 2 and 2 together and got 15. Then look at the other teams....Chelsea don't need him, nor do Arsenal, Spurs or City.

Liverpool? I doubt it. Everton, West Ham? Maybe, but hardly a step up. So that would leave USA/China.
 
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err, I dont want him with United jersey, our CBs are far better than him. He cant even put Kane in his pocket, not like our CBs. :smirk:
 
I think we possibly were interested in Fonte in the summer time but with Bailly looking so good and composed immediately after signing and subsequently Rojo and Jones finding a good run of form and consistency there's just no place for him. At his age too he'd have just been a stop gap for a couple of years whilst not being all that great in the first place.

I think we're sorted at centre back for the time being with the four centre backs we have plus Blind if injuries become an issue. It'd be far more practical to concentrate on bigger issues like central midfield. Not only just a Carrick replacement but another box to box type player as Schneiderlin and Schweinsteiger look like goners and Fellaini unfortunately just isn't good enough. We'll be extremely bare in the middle if we don't get a couple of players in.

Centre backs we have 4/5 for 2 positions right now and is not a priority.