Pep Guardiola insisted yesterday he will continue working with Joe Hart at Manchester City, even as Barcelona goalkeeper Claudio Bravo flew in to replace the unwanted England worldwide.
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Guardiola was equally reluctant to discuss the Bravo deal, even as the 33-year-old Chile goalkeeper arrived on a delayed flight from Barcelona to have a medical.Bravo will play the “sweeper keeper” role that Guardiola feels is now beyond Hart’s capabilities, with Caballero expected to revert back to his job as No 2.
Hart has been left on the bench for City’s opening Premier League matches of the season, with Guardiola preferring Willy Caballero for victories over Sunderland and Stoke City, and the new manager said on Friday that Hart is free to leave if he wishes.
Chile goalkeeper Bravo flew to Manchester from Barcelona on Tuesday and City have not denied a deal could be concluded in the coming days. “I have an excellent relationship with Joe, him with me”. I’ve said many times he’s our player.
I don’t know what will happen in six months.
City are closing in on a £17 million deal for Barcelona keeper Claudio Bravo and Guardiola says he will allow Hart to leave if he wants to go.
“I work with them like there is no end”.
“I’ll go and speak to them about that – Pep and Joe – sooner or later”. I’m not involved to speak.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola talks to goalkeeper Joe Hart during a training session at the City Football Academy, Manchester yesterday. That is why we are a little surprised about how fast, in some moments, we have been in our three games: we played really good.
He had a medical in Manchester last night, is set to complete his move by signing a four-year contract and could make his Premier League debut against West Ham on Sunday.
Guardiola, who took charge in the summer, has major reservations about Hart’s ability to play as the kind of “sweeper-keeper” his preferred system demands.
He had to know we are here to help him in the way we play, to create as much chances as possible and to have more chances to score goals.
Yaya Toure, Wilfried Bony, Samir Nasri and Eliaquim Mangala, who like Hart have played no part for City so far this season, were also among the 33 players who trained across two pitches.
“You need to work hard as a player to get your chance and I’m doing everything I can to get my chance”.
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“I don’t think the scoreline was a fair reflection for our efforts”, said Hughes, a former Manchester City boss.
