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EVERTON have offered Southampton £9million for Jose Fonte as new manager Ronaldo Koeman prepares for the expected exit of John Stones to Manchester City.

Koeman's bid for the defender he made his captain at St Mary's complicates Jose Mourinho's efforts to rebuild Manchester United's defence ahead of his first campaign at Old Trafford.

Koeman wants Fonte to help rid Everton of the defensive frailty that contributed to Roberto Martinez ceding the manager's position to the Dutchman following a Premier League campaign in which the Merseyside club conceded 55 goals, the sixth worst total in the division.

Fresh from helping Portugal win their first major championship, Fonte has also drawn strong interest from Spain, Russia and Turkey, but is understood to be keen to work with Koeman again. Southampton, however, are resisting their former manager's approach.

According to a source familiar with the negotiations, Southampton are yet to formally communicate Everton's offer to the 32-year-old.

Fonte has spent six and half seasons on the south coast, rapidly establishing himself as a key figure in Southampton's rise from League One football to qualification for the Europa League. The Portugal international signed a revised three-year contract last October on the condition that the club would not stand in his way should he receive a superior offer from elsewhere.

Mourinho has also identified Fonte as one of several candidates capable of adding much-needed experience and leadership to United's back four. Fonte offers height, power and has four successful Premier League seasons as a starting centre back to his name – more than any of the defenders United's new manager inherited from Louis van Gaal.

Other options for the centre of defence include Ezequiel Garay and Leonardo Bonucci. The latter would require negotiating another expensive agreement with Juventus, who have floated a price of €70m for a player they consider key to their ambitions of winning the Champions League. Argentina international Garay joined Zenit St Petersburg two years ago in a €6m transfer from Benfica.

Mourinho, however, has been asked to wait until United move out some of their existing senior defenders before making an offer for replacements. Marcos Rojo and Daley Blind have been made available for sale, while there is a willingness to listen to offers for Matteo Darmian should the Italy international wish to change clubs.

Of his younger defensive options, Paddy McNair and Cameron Borthwick-Jackson have joined Guillermo Varela in being offered on loan. Timothy Fosu-Mensah has been retained in Mourinho's first-team group.

AS Monaco are aware that Mourinho is interested in bringing Brazil right back Fabinho to Old Trafford should a space open up in his squad, but will resist a sale should they reach the Champions League Play Off round on Wednesday night.

Fabinho, 22, has also drawn inquiries from Barcelona and Manchester City in the current transfer window.

City are attempting to extract Stones from Everton as part of Pep Guardiola's aggressive restructure of their squad. "Everyone knows we are going to try," said Guardiola last week. "We will see what happens."