Joe Hart has completed a season-long loan move to Italian side Torino after Pep Guardiola deemed the goalkeeper surplus to requirements at Manchester City for the 2016/17 campaign, ensuring that the England worldwide will play regular first-team football in an effort to keep his place in Sam Allardyce’s squad.
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Hart said that Attilio Lombardo, who was a coach at City under Roberto Mancini and now works for Torino, had played a part in securing his services.
“All of a sudden, my career reached a turning point, I interpreted it as a sign of fate”.
Sunderland, Everton and Liverpool are among the Premier League sides to have been linked with a move for Hart, but no concrete offer was made and the former Shrewsbury Town stopper is said to be keen on a switch to Italian football. “I am very excited to test myself in as important and handsome league as Serie A“.
“Your goalkeeping (in Italy) is recognised throughout the world, so I am convinced I can still learn a lot here with Torino. That’s also why I immediately accepted President Cairo’s offer with great enthusiasm”.
For many, one of the biggest surprises of transfer deadline day has come courtesy of Joe Hart.
Hart has won two Premier League titles at City and been their first choice for most of the past six years but new manager Pep Guardiola has made clear his preference for a keeper who is better with his feet.
Torino will pay about 60 percent of Hart’s salary at Manchester City, which is 4.2 million euros ($4.6 million), according to local media reports. Torino’s next match sees them travel to Bergamo to face Atalanta, a game that could be his debut for the club.
The 29-year-old appears to be on his way to Italy, with his agent revealing he would undergo a medical with Serie A side Torino on Tuesday.
City put out a statement of their own, thanking Hart for his service.
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“From the moment I signed in 2006 the club and its fans have given me football and life experiences I could never have imagined and I am so thankful for that”.
