LATEST: JOE HART

Manchester City's out-of-favour goalkeeper Joe Hart has been told face-to-face by the club's director of football Txiki Begiristain that it would be in everyone's best interests if he left in the current transfer window.

By Joe Bernstein (Daily Mail)


Sunday 22nd August 2016

City are close to sealing a £20million deal for Barcelona goalkeeper Claudio Bravo, which would leave Hart as third-choice, and neither manager Pep Guardiola nor Begiristain want that to prove a distraction for the Pep revolution.

Guardiola has been taken aback by support for Hart from former players like Joey Barton and Frank Lampard, and is worried about being seen as the manager who pushes Hart out of the door.

Publicly, he has said the England goalkeeper, 29, would have to ask to leave before a loan or permanent transfer could be arranged but behind-the-scenes meetings tell a different story.

After Hart arrived back early from a post-Euro 2016 break in order to join City's pre-season tour of China, his first conversation with Guardiola raised doubts about his future.

Everton and Sevilla have been mentioned as possible destinations for Hart, who was an unused sub as City won 4-1 at Stoke on Saturday.

Barcelona's sporting director Robert Fernandez announced that Bravo was heading to Manchester City on Saturday night.

The 33-year-old has been battling with Marc-Andre ter Stegen to be Barca's first choice goalkeeper for two seasons and, fearful he would lose his place this year due to pressure from the German, threatened to leave if he couldn't keep his role.

Fernandez said: 'We have an agreement in principle with Manchester City for Bravo. We are waiting for events this week. We will open the door for Claudio when we sign another goalkeeper.

'We were talking about his contract renewal when City's offer arrived and the player told us that we wanted to think well about it, and evaluate other things. In the end we reached the principle of an agreement.'

When I saw your 'sticky' Chris, I thought he was coming in as Marshalls no.2

When I saw your 'sticky' Chris, I thought he was coming in as Marshalls no.2

Sorry, Paul. I was up most of the night and thought many would be interested in the mind games between Pep and Joe Hart as they stand

Only one winner in that battle!

'Sticky' removed:thumbup:

When I saw your 'sticky' Chris, I thought he was coming in as Marshalls no.2

Sorry, Paul. I was up most of the night and thought many would be interested in the mind games between Pep and Joe Hart as they stand

Only one winner in that battle!

'Sticky' removed:thumbup:

It's all right mate - I'm not a 'sticky' snob like some on here!

I'm not surprised Pep doesnt want him. He's not a bad keeper but I have always thought he was overated, not in the league of the top keepers, I would put him on a par with the likes of Tim Howard at his peak

Joe Hart has an attitude problem - He thinks he's Head & Shoulders above everyone else. Cheque please Garçon.

Joe Hart has an attitude problem - He thinks he's Head & Shoulders above everyone else. Cheque please Garçon.

boom!

Everton have decided not to press ahead with a bid to sign Joe Hart on a season-long loan according to a report.
MailOnline's Dominic King claims that the £7m fee that Manchester City were demanding to take the 29-year-old for the season in addition to the player's wages are above what the Blues want to pay for a temporary hire.

Hart's career is in limbo at the Etihad Stadium as Pep Guardiola, who has already dropped him in favour of Willy Caballero in the Premier and Champions League games in recent days, looks set to bring in goalkeeper Claudio Bravo from Barcelona.

Goodison Park looked to be the most likely destination for Hart but both he and City would need to lower their financial demands or reconsider a permanent transfer in order to revive the deal before the transfer deadline on 31 August.