JOSE Fonte has revealed his frustration with life at Saints amid fresh speculation over his future at St Mary’s.

The long-serving captain has been left deeply disappointed and frustrated at not playing any part in the club’s landmark Europa League campaign, which he considers a dream he “worked really hard” for.

The Euro 2016 winner is an iconic and loyal figure at Saints, having been a lynchpin in their rise from League One to Premier League high-flyers playing European football.

But he has largely been used only in league fixtures by Claude Puel this term.

Now there have again been reports that the central defender will be allowed to leave St Mary's in January, after nearly eight seasons on the south coast, with Fonte himself reiterating that there’s no new contract offer on the table.

Fonte had been offered a significant pay rise by Saints – which he states he is “entitled to say no” to – but there has been no extension offered on his current deal that has just over 18 months left to run.

As a result, reports have filtered out in recent days that the 32-year-old will be allowed to leave in January, if Saints receive a suitable offer.

Everton, who reportedly had a £7.6m bid turned down in the summer, and Manchester United are understood to be keen suitors.

Puel attempted to address the issue in his press conference prior to the 3-0 defeat at Crystal Palace, but stated that the contract situation was a “private matter”.

“I don’t know what they’re talking about,” Fonte said. “There’s no contract on the table.

“It is what it is, there’s nothing on the table that I didn’t sign. There was nothing there, to be honest.”

He added: “There was in the summer, they offered me a pay rise. They didn’t offer me a new contract.

“They offered me a pay rise which I’m entitled to discuss with my agent and entitled to say no to as well.

“I’m entitled to have my own opinion, so apart from that that’s it.”

Some conspiracy theories suggested that Fonte was not being selected for Europa League matches to ensure he was not cup tied in the competition in preparation for a move away.

However, Fonte was typically forthright about his absence in all five of Saints’ European games so far.

“Of course I’m disappointed,” he said. “I want to play every game. I’m fit to play every game. I’m always on the dance floor – I’m always fit.

“I worked really hard last year to play Europa League.

“I worked really hard and obviously I’m disappointed, but I have to accept the decision from the manager and be ready when I am called to play.

“If I’m called to play Europa League, I will be there, as simple as that.”

Fonte admits he has to accept Puel’s decision to leave him out, but says he’ll be primed to play in Saints’ crunch Europa League group stage finale at home to Hapoel Be’er Shava on Thursday.

“It is [frustrating], but it’s football,” he said. “Like the manager said, he wants people to be 100 per cent fit for every game. You have to accept the decision and move on.

“It’s a massive game [Hapoel] and I’m ready. We need to win this game.”

Meanwhile Fonte has urged Saints to get the basics right and “concentrate” after their miserable defeat to Palace.

“It was a lack of concentration, in my opinion,” he said after the loss. “Especially on the set-pieces you need to be 100 per cent at it and we conceded three goals from set-pieces.

“We need to put that right.

“Until the ball is dead you have to stay with your man. And that’s a basic and if we do the basics right we win games.”