"It's ignorance!" Jose Fonte responds to West Ham co-owner David Sullivan's shock transfer claims
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Jose Fonte has accused West Ham co-owner of being ignorant after revealing that his kids did not want the defender to sign for the club.
In an interview last week, Sullivan remarkably revealed that his own family tried to talk him out of acquiring the Portuguese international from Southampton, as well as Robert Snodgrass from Hull last January.
But Sullivan, who plays a major role in transfer dealings at the London Stadium, went ahead with both deals.
"I'm very involved with physically bringing in the players," Sullivan told the Guardian.
"I'm not involved in the strategy. The manager said he wanted Fonte from Southampton and [Robert] Snodgrass from Hull. My kids begged me not to sign them."
(Image: Reuters)
(Image: Getty Images Europe)
Fonte, who cost the Hammers £8million, has admitted that he was surprised by the comments.
The centre-back is currently sidelined with an ankle injury, but insists that he will keep his head down and work hard for new boss David Moyes.
"It's ignorance," he told the Telegraph . "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.
(Image: REUTERS)
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"I'm going to keep being the good professional that I am. I am going to keep working hard to try and help my teammates and the manager. What has been said has no effect on me or who I am."
Fonte, however, insists that the comments might not lead to him departing West Ham.
He said: "That decision is not for me. 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."