Fonte Back In Lisbon After Deal Expires – Details

Rui Fonte will return to parent club Sporting Lisbon in the coming days after Arsenal decided against paying the £1.7 million ($2.5 million) to break the agreement with Lisbon and extend his contract with the Gunners.

Contrary to several reports, including one previously on Young Guns, Fonte was never on loan in North London. In the summer of 2006 Arsenal scouts approached Sporting and Rui after he impressed playing for Portugal’s youth teams. But while the player himself wanted to move, his club were far from happy.

Eventually an agreement was reached which entailed that Liam Brady would get his man for three seasons on a development based contract. £39,000 ($60,000) exchanged hands with the promise that after three campaigns in London a review of the deal would take place.

Should Arsenal be keen to keep Rui for the long term future, a one off fee of £1.7 million ($2.5 million) would be paid and the Gunners could sign up the Portuguese striker to whatever contract they wished. However, should Arsène Wenger and Liam Brady decide against it, Sporting Lisbon would reclaim the player.

After two campaigns in the Under 18’s and Reserves, this season saw Fonte lead the line for Neil Banfield’s second string. In pre-season he scored three goals in three games and despite starting the Reserves League South season well, he only managed three strikes until being loaned to Crystal Palace. He played ten games for the Eagles and scored no goals.

One Carling Cup substitute appearance was the highlight of his stay with Arsenal, and it’s now expected he will be loaned out to another club in his home land to gain more experience.

Everybody at Young Guns would like to wish Rui all the best for the future, and thank him for his contribution during his time with the club.

Article By – J.Sanderson

30 thoughts on “Fonte Back In Lisbon After Deal Expires – Details

  • May 20, 2009 at 11:22 am
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    Whenever I saw him play I always thought he looked an exceptionally exciting talent. Just shows how little I know!!

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  • May 20, 2009 at 11:30 am
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    not necessarily GMR – time will tell, but it may have been down to us having too much competition

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  • May 20, 2009 at 11:33 am
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    Yeah, the young teams are quite swampy to conclude inferences. Just Remember Arturo Lupoli, and some others. According to me, there’s no need to think about whether a player is good for as, or not. The real talents (Cesc, Jack, Gibbsy) really show their talents in their brashly young of age. We should’t keep a guy who haven’t managed to make himslef well-known until their 18-19’s.

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  • May 20, 2009 at 11:36 am
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    I’m really worried about Nordtveit though. I thought he’s a stupefying talent when i heard that AW himself travelled for him, not to mention his 2 mill price, but since his disasterous loan there’s too much silence around him.

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  • May 20, 2009 at 11:37 am
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    HE NEEDS TO DEVELOPE PHYSICALLY. NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO PLAY IN ENGLAND

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  • May 20, 2009 at 11:39 am
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    Nordviet is having a disastrious loan spell!!!! i thought he was doing alrite in norway

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  • May 20, 2009 at 11:41 am
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    I think he means at Salamanca, atif. Because with Lillestrom Nordtveit has been a regular and has played very very well.

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  • May 20, 2009 at 11:51 am
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    Steve don’t forget Wenger and Bergkamp travelled to Holland to seal the deal for the legendary Vincent van den Berg.

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  • May 20, 2009 at 11:54 am
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    hw much did we pay for vincent van der berg???

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  • May 20, 2009 at 12:17 pm
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    Hopefully now Murphy will be first choice for the Reserves and have an injury free campaign next season. He looks like a top class striker.

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  • May 20, 2009 at 12:23 pm
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    We should sign Wellington, Conthio and Cardona(Edwin) 5mil each they will pay out! I watch the under 17 tournament and were the real highlights of the top 30 goals?

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  • May 20, 2009 at 12:55 pm
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    any links for the youth cup game tonight?

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  • May 20, 2009 at 12:55 pm
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    But He’s playing as wingback, ain’t he, Nordtveit? He has absolutely no chance making at right back if he comes back unless we sell one of the 2 world-class ones we have. And i don’t think we will. I hoped he will fill the problematic centrehalf position, and playing on the right won’t help him do that. He’s reported being tall and assertive on the ball, and that’s exactly what we need beside Kolo. Hope we’ll see him in the Kinder Cup next year.

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  • May 20, 2009 at 1:07 pm
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    I personally don`t think Havard will make it….think he`s already behind kyle and luke, and with ignasi coming out strong through the ranks I reckon we`ll sell him

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  • May 20, 2009 at 1:52 pm
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    Murphy will be first choice in the reserves if he stays healthy and will undoubtedly get his first team debut in the CC.

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  • May 20, 2009 at 1:57 pm
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    agree with Steve, Nordveidt doesn’t have the pace to play RB

    disagree with Steve, who is our second world-class RB ? it is certainly not Emmanuel Eboue. In fact, Gibbs has shown although we are well stacked at LB with Traore (although not being a natural defender), Botehlo, Evina – that we are missing quality cover at RB

    JS – are any of the youth defenders ready to step up and do a Gibbs next season ?

    Also – how tall are Ayling, Bartley (looks enormous), Botehlo, Iqnasi

    How have Botehlo, Iqnasi and Evina done this season ?

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  • May 20, 2009 at 2:22 pm
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    arsenal have a big pleyer but l want to bay some player for example rigjards man city lescot everton, midfilder bentli totenham johan gurguf milan, striker edin djeko wolfsburg or karim benzema if wenger boy it is eni thing what you want to win.

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  • May 20, 2009 at 2:50 pm
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    firstly, has van den berg left yet?

    and secondly, at least I got to see fonte’s only game!! Quite good seeing as tho I have only been to 2 competitive games!

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  • May 20, 2009 at 4:03 pm
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    Another one bites the dust. If we’re all honest, very few of our kids have really gone onto make the grade, although the current crop could provide a change in fortunes.

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  • May 20, 2009 at 4:41 pm
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    i’m gutted bout fonte i hope he devolopes into a star and proves arsenal wrong.

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  • May 20, 2009 at 7:48 pm
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    Fonte was one of the worst strikers in our ranks.

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  • May 20, 2009 at 9:25 pm
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    A wild idea i know but, maybe Lansbury will do a Gibbs and revert to right back. He played there in this seasons pre season and could go on to be just as good a revalation as Gibbs. I think that is what Wenger is going to do with him.

    Before anyone says i know he is a top prospect for central midfield but so was Gibbs.

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  • May 21, 2009 at 9:07 am
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    Can Someone explain how we loaned rui fonte out to crystal palace when we had him on loan?

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  • May 21, 2009 at 3:11 pm
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    Rhys Murphy is way better.

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  • May 21, 2009 at 7:44 pm
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    who is the best centre back prospect coming through the ranks then?

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  • May 21, 2009 at 7:44 pm
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    If we are also losing Sunu are we not going to be short of strikers in the reserves next season?

    I know we have Murphy to come up and already have Watt, but who else is ready to step up?

    Simpson will not be wanting to play for the reserves when he gets back will he?

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