Guardiola has overseen the spending of more than $200 million on new players since taking over as City coach this off-season, and left it late to trim his 30-man squad. Axed by Pep in favour of Willy Caballero who is considered to be more technically sound, Hart’s only appearance for the Blues this season was in their Champions League qualifier against Steaua Bucarest, a game many considered to be his farewell game for the club.
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Hart had been linked with the likes of Liverpool and Sunderland but was granted permission to skip England training on Tuesday to complete his switch to Torino.
He agreed terms with Torino on a season-long loan, with City paying a significant percentage of his wages, according to reports.
While Hart is under contract at City until 2019, the tone of an emotional open letter posted on his Facebook account suggested his time at the Premier League club is at an end.
Hart, who was given a warm welcome by Torino supporters, told the Serie A side’s website, torinofc.it: “It’s a great club, first and foremost”. I am very happy to be able to compete in a lovely and hard league like Serie A.
That led to Hart looking for a way out at the Etihad Stadium and he finalised a move to Serie A side Torino on deadline day.
“In the staff I already know [Attilio] Lombardo, who I worked with in Manchester and won, so we hope to relive many lovely emotions together”.
Torino president Urbano Cairo said: “Joe Hart is a goalkeeper of global level, with considerable experience gained both with Manchester City, both with the English national team where among other things he made his debut very young, at age 21. I’ve read a few interviews about Toro and the coach wants his players to be humble and ambitious, and I like this a lot because that is how I want to be”.
His message read: “I just wanted to take this opportunity to address all the fantastic Manchester City fans who have been so good to me”. Thanks to him, that game ended 0-0.
To retain his place as England ‘keeper, Hart needs regular football in a season that will see the Three Lions begin their qualifying campaign for the 2018 World Cup in a Group F featuring Scotland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Lithuania and Malta.
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Stoke City have signed Wilfried Bony from Manchester City on a season-long loan, the Premier League clubs announced on Wednesday.
