Barcelona goalkeeper Claudio Bravo has arrived in England to conclude a move to Manchester City, a deal that is likely to trigger the departure of England goalkeeper Joe Hart.
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The England goalkeeper was recalled by manager Pep Guardiola after three games on the bench as City went through the motions against Steaua Bucharest to claim their place in the Champions League group stage. That means he will be installed as City’s No. 1, ahead of Willy Caballero and Hart.
Confirmation of that deal would appear to push former number one Joe Hart closer to the exit door, although fresh reports from The Mail on Tuesday (23 August) suggest that lead suitors Everton have now withdrawn their interest due to £135,000-per-week wages that would see them pay approximately £7m just to take the England global on a season-long loan.
Everton, which seemed a potential destination late last week, appear to have cooled their interest – partly due to Hart’s wages, which are beyond their current structure, and the early-season form of new signing Maarten Stekelenburg.
“Until August 31, all the players here are my players, and I will work with them like there is no end, so after that we can speak about everything”.
City, who won on Wednesday night with a second-half header by Fabian Delph, will be in the draw for the Champions League today and that’s what is arguably even more important for Guardiola.
Guardiola told reporters on Tuesday, “I have an excellent relationship with Joe”.
But, with Chile global Claudio Bravo having arrived in Manchester on the brink of completing a £17million move to City from Barcelona, it might only be the briefest of returns.
Meanwhile, Guardiola has urged striker Sergio Aguero to help his side maintain pressure on opponents and not “disappear” when his side do not have possession of the ball. They say “I don’t like the ball, I prefer to punish you in the counter-attack”.
‘Until now he’s doing it and, when that happens, you are involved in defensive tasks and the offensive’.
Guardiola, who helped sanction a new two-year deal for Iheanacho, stated among other things, he likes the alertness of the 2013 Federation Internationale de Football Association U-17 World Cup star, adding that the 19-year old is a ideal back-up for Argentine goal machine, Sergio Aguero.
Guardiola wants his goalkeeper to play an instrumental role in the team’s build-up play. We have to try to play as good as possible to achieve the result.
Striker Kelechi Iheanacho is among the players hoping to get a start after Guardiola promised to “make some rotations”.
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“I enjoyed tonight. I’m really happy that we Fabian scored”. They didn’t press high, they stayed back – we have to play it to open up spaces and in the second half, we were much better.
