Crystal Palace boss Frank De Boer is reported to be eyeing up West Ham central defender Jose Fonte as he bid to relieve the pressure on his job after just three games
The Dutchman has overseen three straight defeats for zero goals since taking over from Sam Allardyce who quit the game at the end of last season
De Boer wants several new faces before deadline day as he bids to turn things around and save his own neck after being beaten at home to Swansea at the weekend.
And he sees the Hammers Portuguese stopper Fonte, 33, as the man to head the revival despite him making only one start for the Irons this season after a less than average spell at the back last term.
Fonte had a successful previous spell at Selhurst Park from 2007-2010 before moving to Southampton and wouldn’t take much temptingg out of the London Stadium were the interest to be firmed up
Seemed like a decent signing but unfortunately his lack of pace leaves him exposed..sell him and go get Sakho from L’pool or one of the youngsters on the fringes or the Italian squad (Rugani). Can’t believe we’ve let Burke and oxford go on loan, both better options than Fonte..
Sell him especially if willing to pay £8m even half of that. Going on 35 and his wages like above he isn’t bad until he got here. But a younger defender would be nice I would like us to move for Club Brugge’s Bjorn Engels at 22yo 6’4 CB and can play DCM. Belgium defenders seem to thrive in premier league.
Also Sam wanted Kara Abodji from Anderlecht in Jan 2015 for DCM but He is CB too but can play DCM as well. Both would be around a £8m for fee and Bjorn is keen on Premier move think Kara is too. Like Sahko a lot but injury prone too that’s my worry and don’t see them spending £30m. Believe he is still injured now but would have him.
Even take Ranocchia from Inter for £5m on 2 year deal at 29 decent defender. Or Jansson from Leeds.
Or Subotic be nice. But Bilic still thinks we just need 1 player and his position at risk and our bottom of table could gender transfers. We need 3 players why ship Snod out and pau £18k of wages if not replace – Jota. What happened to 1 in 1 out. 10 out a far. CB DCM and Winger creative Jota looks best at this stage is what we need.
Subtonic’s best years are behind him. Why get a repeat of the Fonte situation ?
Like Snoddy, another mid year signing, he’s been an absolute failure.
I’ll pay for the taxi.
This for me a get out of jail card maybe he will be better at palace and better suited as his sure been useless at our place home and away
Swap him with Tonks. He was always dependable doing the simple things well, without thrills. People like Ogbonna and Fonte can’t even be relied upon to do that.
Would have Tompkins back in a breath over Fonte,should never have let him go in the first place.We do not have a solid,reliable,pacy pair of centre backs,Certainly sure Bilic does not know his best 2 and letting Burke and Oxford out on loan was criminal too.Ideal time to have given either of the 2 youngsters a go judging by what we have seen so far,not forgetting Rice at CB instead of sticking him in that midfield role.
Agreed. I like Rice and he can play midfield at a stretch, but we need him at the back, and he needs to be there. Ogbonna can be too slack at the back, and Fonte can be too Fonte. Neither will bully the opposition like Tonks can.
Why do we have this thing about Tonks? When I have watched him he has been poor and I don’t want him back we need better.
Totally agree.Its local boy syndrome.
are you suffuring from exotic name syndrome. …… Ogbonna what an exotic name he must be better than Tonks. Sorry he never was.
Fully agree fishes..if we can sell Palace fonte and slip Ogbonna in for free then that would guarantee Palace relegation . Would play Rice , Ginge , Burke or Oxford in there place all day long.
Ogbonna will cost Bilic his job if he continues to play him !
He needs to go… then we should sign Sakho from Liverpool.
33 years old and we will be getting 8 mill
Unfortunately he hasn’t worked out. He just doesn’t have the legs. Sakho and Reid in defence with Ogbonna and Ginge as back up is decent!
I think we still need a midfielder and a winger.
De Boer has problems with his eyesight- you heard it here first.
Tomkins is a great lad, but pace isn’t his main trait either…. Agree with the possibility of getting Ranocchia. He made fools of our defenders last year, remember ?. Or Dendoncker, who can play CDM or CH. Made Manure suffer in Euro league last year. Expensive, but future star. Still affordable now, not in two years. Kara is Good, and good friends with Cheikhou, but maybe a little short for what we need. There are more CH in Europe than strikers, it should not be an impossible task to find one. Look in the Spanish league or in Italy. Good, strong and often quick defenders.
resign Tonks? some people do have short memories. ‘
If Fonte goes the purge is almost complete with practically every player bought last Summer and in January either sold or loaned out and thats the crux of the problem.The last 2 transfer windows have been a disaster for the club in that we bought quantity rather than quality and we are still paying for it now because injuries to nearly half of what i would rate as 1st teamers ie Antonio,Kouyate,Lanzini,Reid,Sakho and dare i say it Carroll has decimated us and these players are only now coming back into the fold.We have learnt that without them the backup is simply not good enough and quite simply the owners have not invested in enough quality players and its very clearly showing at the moment.
If, and it’s a big if,he does go, no one will arrive in his place. Rice will fill in,to allow Kouyate & Obiang to play midfield with Lanzini centrally controlling the park in front of them. All good until one injury and the wheels come off again. No strength in depth, another season already looking bleak. If Cavalho goes to the Emirates now, we are looking down the barrel already.
In my opinion selling Feghouli was a mistake. He was improving, and he was a creative player. I would have kept him to play right behind the strikers, with a free role, just like Lanzini. He left and has not been replaced… He is to me the only one from the purge that should have been spared. OR replaced. None has happened. Unless it is to be Holland’s role ?
It must be Hollands role. We were told 1 for 1 but Fegouhli went for none, so bring in Holland, he is very special.