Southampton Could Move On From JWP With £28k-p/w “Leader”

Southampton at the moment are simply three weeks away from starting their first season within the Championship since 2011-12, but there are nonetheless query marks over plenty of first-team gamers, together with each Romeo Lavia and Tino Livramento.

What gamers are Southampton promoting?

With a number of Premier League golf equipment, it’s robust to see how both Lavia or Livramento will nonetheless be at St Mary’s come the top of the switch window on September 1.

Maybe a extra urgent matter is that of the way forward for captain James Ward-Prowse, who continues to be linked with Premier League pair Fulham and West Ham United.

Whereas gamers of Lavia and Livramento’s high quality come and go – a stark actuality for a crew outdoors of the elite – changing Ward-Prowse may very well be even more durable.

That’s down not solely to the distinctive set-piece capacity he brings to the aspect, but in addition his management qualities. After spending greater than a decade as a daily, the previous three of these years as captain, Ward-Prowse would depart an enormous void to be crammed.

Nonetheless, it was not too long ago urged by talkSPORT that former Saints defender Jose Fonte could return to the club this summer season, and that now seems to be a fair stronger risk after Lille president Olivier Letang confirmed the Portuguese is set to leave the Ligue 1 aspect.

Is Jose Fonte a great possibility for Southampton?

Fonte made close to 300 appearances for Southampton throughout a seven-year spell at St Mary’s that got here to an finish in January 2017 when transferring to West Ham.

The 50-cap Portugal international spent two-and-a-half years as captain of the Saints, that means he’s a pure ready-made substitute for Ward-Prowse in that regard ought to he return.

Certainly, he continued to show an actual figurehead when transferring to West Ham, with goalkeeper Darren Randolph hailing him as a “leader”. “He’s loud and vocal and organises nicely,” Randolph added.

Southampton have loads of high quality of their ranks for brand spanking new supervisor Russell Martin to name upon, however they don’t possess many able to stepping up and main in the best way of Fonte, who Capology claims is on wages of £28,000 a week at Lille.

Having the ability to bark out directions is one factor; having the standard to carry out within the Championship on the age of 39 is one other. Nonetheless, Fonte started 30 games for Lille in Ligue 1 final season, suggesting he’s greater than able to enjoying often regardless of his advancing years.

In reality, Fonte ranked within the high 12% of all centre-backs throughout Europe’s high 5 leagues for passes attempted final season (68.72 per 90), as per FBref, and within the high 11% by way of move completion (90%).

That capacity to move the ball out from the again is a big plus given that’s precisely what Martin was after throughout his time as Swansea Metropolis head coach.

By way of the extra defensive metrics, Fonte won two aerial duels per recreation in Ligue 1 final season, as per WhoScored, which compares to 2.1 for Saints centre-back common Jan Bednarek within the Premier League.

Fonte’s team-high 3.5 clearances per game, in the meantime, was bettered by only three Southampton players who began 10 league matches or extra.

Whereas he might not be the colossus he was six years in the past, Fonte confirmed final season he’s nonetheless able to doing a job at a excessive stage. That, mixed together with his management qualities, make his arrival on a free switch a no brainer.