After weeks of speculation, it is now official: Joe Hart has left Manchester City for the season.
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The England shot stopper was given permission to leave the national team camp yesterday to finalise the deal with the Granata.
The England global goalkeeper found himself second choice behind Willy Caballero for City’s opening games of 2016-17, with Claudio Bravo’s arrival from Barcelona seemingly demoting Hart to third choice. With Claudio Bravo also joining the Citizens, regular playing time was not a certainty for 29-year-old Hart, who joins a Torino side in dire need of a top ‘keeper.
Hart joined City in 2006 and has won the Premier League (twice), League Cup (twice) and FA Cup.
The two clubs, alongside Hart’s representatives, spent Monday agreeing the final terms of the contract, with both City and Torino understood to be contributing to the 29-year-old’s salary.
He will become the first English goalkeeper to play in Serie A since the league began in 1929. He’s not going to play for England if he’s not getting in Manchester City’s team.
“The history of Italian goalkeepers is known everywhere and I am sure I could learn in Torino too”.
He is expected to take the gloves from Daniele Padelli, who has failed to impress coach Sinisa Mihajlovic since he arrived at the club several months after his sacking by AC Milan last season.
It’s certainly an unlikely move, but nevertheless a great signing for Torino and a zero-risk option for Hart.
Hart has been told by new City manager Pep Guardiola that he is free to leave. “And so I had to do something”, Hart said in an Italian statement on the Torino website.
Hart could make his Torino debut on September 11 when the “Granata” face Atalanta in Bergamo.
They added: “From everyone at the club, good luck and thank you, Joe!”
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“Football is a insane game and, due to circumstances, I am now moving on to another chapter of my career and I am very grateful that Torino has given me this opportunity to play for their great club”.
