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the exit door, although fresh reports from The Mail on Tuesday (23 August) suggest that lead suitors Everton have now withdrawn their interest due to £135,000-per-week wages that would see them pay approximately £7m just to take the England global on a season-long loan.
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“I don’t know why, because he’s a great English player, they should be supporting him instead of booing him”. But I’m sorry guys, until the deal is complete or not complete I can’t speak but at the moment the player is not our player.
With City 5-0 up going into the second leg of a play-off tie to decide who advances to the group phase, boss Pep Guardiola has chose to reinstate Hart for one game.
This will seriously affect his chances of playing for England – new manager Sam Allardyce has already suggested that Hart needs to be playing regularly to remain as his number one – so to be at a club where he is not even on the bench most weeks could well kill off his global career.
“We have had a short time together and in spells in our last three games my players have shown me how intelligent they are”, Guardiola said.
Discussing their training ground exchange, Guardiola said: “We spoke about football. We need more time but I am pretty sure we will get it”.
Guardiola’s desire to sign Bravo has cast doubt on the future of England number one Hart, who Sky sources understand is now nearly certain to leave the club before the deadline.
Guardiola is not looking at the game that way, however, and is demanding maximum commitment from his players: “I will make some rotations”.
“If they want to leave because they prefer to play every game – not speaking about Joe, speaking about all the players in the squad – I want to live and work with the players who want to stay”.
With his side having scored 11 times and conceded just once from open play in those games, Guardiola admits he is delighted by the way his players have hit the ground running this season. “The situation with Joe I think I have spoken clearly about in the last two press conferences”. That’s why I tried to insist to the players how important it is.
But Guardiola has made it clear he wants him for his ability with the ball at his feet and his distribution – he came out on top in the La Liga stats tables for goalkeepers last season.
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Hart’s transformation from City’s No 1 for eight seasons to second, and possibly, third choice represents a remarkable turnaround for the 28-year-old Englishman.
