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Report: West Ham in 'advanced talks' to sign Southampton's Fonte

Paul Childs / Reuters

Jose Fonte's transfer request may be granted soon.

Southampton's wantaway skipper has been the subject of "advanced talks" between his current club and West Ham United, according to the Guardian's Ben Fisher, but competition for his signature could come from Everton and West Bromwich Albion.

Fonte reportedly has yet to talk formally with West Ham himself, however.

The centre-half has 18 months left on his contract on the south coast, and could command as much as £12 million for his services. Since requesting to leave the Saints earlier in January, Fonte has sat out his club's last four matches, making way for Japan international Maya Yoshida.

There are apparently contingency plans in the works should Fonte leave, with Claude Puel's lot recently making a spurned loan approach for Liverpool's Mamadou Sakho.

Fonte joined Southampton from Crystal Palace in 2010 and helped guide them from the third tier to become an established Premier League outfit. His performances also made him a latecomer on the international scene - his Portugal debut arrived in 2014 before he played an integral part in its Euro 2016 victory last summer.

"I think he has some opportunities, he studies his opportunities, and for Southampton it is the same," Puel said Wednesday. "We will see if Jose leaves or no, we will see over the next few days."

At West Ham, Fonte would jostle for a starting berth with Winston Reid, Angelo Ogbonna, and James Collins.

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