Former Southampton defender Fonte on Martin and promotion

Fonte, now 40 years old but still playing regularly for SC Braga, made 288 appearances for Saints between 2009 and 2017.

The 2016 European Championships winner still follows Saints keenly and was open to a return to the club last summer.

Saints won promotion back to the Premier League with their first attempt thanks to a 1-0 win over Leeds United at Wembley.

In a new interview with BBC Radio Solent, Fonte has reflected on the season and its eventual playoff success in front of 36,900 fans.

He said: "I am delighted with the promotion back to the Premier League, where Saints deserve to be. 

Jose Fonte is a 50-time international for native Portugal (Image: Daily Echo)

"I am looking forward to next season actually. We know Southampton as a club and their supporters have to be in the Premier League.

"The dimension of the club needs to be in the Premier League so very, very happy with the scenes at Wembley, with the performance from the boys.

"Tremendous day for everyone that loves Saints. It's a tremendous job from Russell Martin, I think, to come in, implement that style of football.

Against the old critic and the disbelievers, he was able to achieve promotion. He was able to achieve it in a great style. It's so enjoyable to watch Southampton play."

Fonte added: "For me, great credit to him and his staff, to the players. Of course, and to the fans that stuck with the team.

"It could have been a very, very difficult season if we didn't end up going up. In the end, we got the job done and the most important is we are back where we belong." 

Fonte is impressed with Martin's style of play, which has seen Saints dominate the ball more than any other team in England's top four leagues.

Their average of a 65.5 per cent possession is more than even Man City's, while Saints boasted one of the Championship's most attacking sides.

Saints manager Russell Martin celebrates promotion to the Premier League (Image: PA)

Fonte insisted: "I can speak with a little bit of experience because I had a manager not long ago, Paulo Fonseca at Lille.

"He's very similar to Russell Martin in the style of play. Always building from the back, always playing out with the goalkeeper involved.

"A lot of possession, a lot of attention to detail in this area when we have the ball. Players do love to have the ball. Who doesn't? Who likes to run after the ball?

"I think what he did was great. He adapted. He recognised what was working, what was not working. He was able to find the right weapons at the right times.

"That shows, as well, humility. That shows that he's a guy that knows what the team needs. It's great that he got the job done." 

Fonte backs the club to survive in the Premier League but has sent them a message on how to achieve it.

"I believe that first of all is confidence. It's believing in what you do," Fonte, who won Ligue 1 with Lille in 2021, said.

"It's believing in the process, believing in what the manager wants and how he wants you to play. I think Saints have that. They have a system now.

"Although it will be much, much harder in the Premier League to play the way they play, first and foremost is confidence, is believing.

"And after that, it's the hard work, the preparation, knowing that now in the Premier League, every mistake will cost you points.

So you've got to eliminate and you've got to make very few errors in your game. Then you need to get goals.

"You need players that can score you goals because the Premier League is ruthless. If you can't score goals, you won't survive. I think they're the main three."