The Times is saying that Jose Fonte is about to invoke a Gentleman's agreement made when he signed his new deal that the club would not stand in his way if he wanted to leave.
Duncan Castles in The Times is saying that Jose Fonte wants to invoke a Gentleman's Agreement he made with the club last season when he signed his new deal keeping him here till 2018.
Now with several clubs apparently after him after the Euro 2016 success he is seeminlgly wanting to take theopportunity.
The Times also say that Fonte is angered that Saints failed to notify him that Everton had made a £9 million bid a few weeks ago.
Although the Gentleman's Agreement was not formally written in the contract and therefore Saints could hold him to the deal, this has not been the way they have done business, allegedly having similar agreements with Morgan Schneiderlin and Victor Wanyama over the past two years when they were approached by Spurs, the club agreed to not stand in their way if they saw another year of their contract out according to The Times.
The reality though is that if Fonte wants to leave then if Saints stood in his way it would be an awkward atmosphere with the player and it could effect squad morale.
Although Fonte is a vital member of the squad, the last two years has shown that no player is irreplacable and indeed it could be an opportunity for Saints to fund a decent chunk of his replacement's transfer fee.
This will send some fans into meltdown and they will accuse the club of lacking ambition and failing to keep players, the reality is that the club would love to keep most of those who have left, but the reality in modern football is that you have to keep moving players on for one reason or another, if Fonte does go to Old Trafford, like those who left before him, he will not be carried kicking and screaming and demanding to be allowed to stay on half the money he will be on with his new club.
The reality is that money talks, loyalty is now a word used much in the Premier League any more.