West Ham Defender Set for Move to Chinese Super League Side After €5.5m Fee Is Agreed
West Ham defender Jose Fonte has agreed a €5.5m to join Chinese Super League side Dalian Yifang, according to the Daily Record.
The source claims that the Portuguese centre back will fly to Asia on Monday to complete the deal, which should see him feature for the newly promoted team for the next three years.
IAN KINGTON/GettyImages
Fonte has only been with the Hammers a year, having joined last January; but has been frozen from the team since the departure of Slaven Bilic, who was fired back in November.
The player's impending departure also comes as a result of the club's co-owner David Sullivan's negative comments concerning his signing.
“I’m not involved in the strategy," Sullivan said previously, in an attempt to shield himself from criticism over the Irons' recent transfer failings. "The manager says he wants Fonte from Southampton and [Robert] Snodgrass from Hull. My kids begged me not to sign them."
(You may also be interested in: West Ham Keeping Tabs on 3 Players as David Moyes Eyes Summer Window Makeover)
Fonte later responded by saying: “It’s ignorance. I’m not going to say anything. It’s not going to change who I am.
"It’s not going to change what I do. I’m going to keep being the good professional that I am. I am going to keep working hard to try and help my team-mates and the manager. What has been said has no effect on me or who I am.
“I am 33 years of age. I have 500 or 600 appearances. I know what I have done in football. I know how hard I have to work to be in this position. It makes no difference to me. I will still continue to be the same guy I have always been.”
David Moyes hasn't handed the 34-year-old a single minute since taking over from Bilic last year, making him available for transfer in the January window following three appearances as an unused substitute.
But he will be looking to reignite his career in China, though, as he obviously still feels like there's still a lot left in the tank.
