Ex-Southampton and West Ham centre-back Jose Fonte is without a club after his contract at Chinese Super League side Dalian Yifang was ended early by mutual consent.

What's the story?

Fonte was sold by West Ham for £5m in February this year and played just nine games in all competitions in China, without winning a single league match.

Prior to joining the Hammers in January 2017, the 34-year-old had had spent seven years with Saints. He joined the club when they were in League 1 and achieved consecutive promotions to the Premier League, before being made captain in 2014.

According to Sky Sports, the Portuguese international would be keen on a move back to the Premier League, but Baggies boss Darren Moore may be able to convince him to move to the Championship as a replacement for Burnley target Craig Dawson.

Craig Dawson challenges Tammy Abraham for the ball

Bags of experience

West Brom recently announced the capture of Swansea defender Kyle Bartley for what looks like a bargain fee of just £4m, but will most likely need to add more defensive recruitments after releasing Gareth McAuley and selling Jonny Evans to Leicester, especially if the wantaway Dawson gets his move.

Having started all four of Portugal's matches at the World Cup this summer before they were knocked out by Uruguay and as a European Championship winner in 2016, Fonte would be a huge coup for West Brom if Moore could tempt him to the Hawthorns.

However, he has invaluable experience of the league and if he still has ambitions to play for Portugal, impressing in the Championship will do his reputation no harm. From a Baggies point of view, with no transfer fee involved, any attempt to sign him would seem relatively risk-free.

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