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Ex-Celtic Midfielder Claims Jose Fonte Refused to Play Reserve Game for West Ham Before China Move

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Jose Fonte apparently refused to take part in a friendly game for ​West Ham before he left the club to join Chinese side Dalian Yifang.

The 34-year-old joined the Hammers at the beginning of 2017 from ​Southampton, but featured in only 24 games for the club. His time there was severely disrupted after he picked up an injury at the end of October in a 2-2 draw against ​Crystal Palace, which kept him out until January.

The defender did not make another appearance for the club before ​joining Dalian Yifang last week for a fee of around £5m.

However, it seems in the build up to his move he was proving to be a problem for West Ham boss David Moyes. According to former Celtic midfielder David Provan, the Portuguese star refused to turn out for the Hammers in a friendly game that was meant to help him get match fit.

Provan wrote in the the Scottish Sun: "A couple of weeks ago I mentioned David Moyes arranging a reserve game to get an injured player match-fit.

"The game was at Dagenham and Redbridge and to Moysey’s frustration Jose Fonte didn’t fancy pulling on his boots at the National League club’s ground.

"Now, Fonte is signing for Dalian Yifang in the Chinese Super League. He couldn’t cross London for a reserve game but is answering the call of the cash register five thousand miles away. Don’t you love the modern-day player?"

Moyes recently revealed that Fonte left West Ham in a bid to make Portugal's squad for this summer's World Cup. The 54-year-old said, as quoted by ​Sky Sports: "It's a choice that Jose wanted to make at 34-years-old. He felt it was the right thing for his career at this time. 

"It gives him the chance to try something new and he wants to get into the Portugal squad for the World Cup. If he was playing regularly he has a better chance. He's just back from injury and has got himself back into condition to play. We wish him good luck. He's been a really good professional since I have been here."

The Hammers are currently 13th in the ​Premier League as they prepare to play ​Swansea City away from home on Saturday.