Football
Mark Ogden, Senior Writer, ESPN FC 7y

Joe Hart thinks he has played his final game for Manchester City - sources

Joe Hart believes he has played his last game for Manchester City and expects to be sold once his loan spell with Torino concludes at the end of this season, sources have told ESPN FC.

Sources familiar with the England goalkeeper's loan agreement with the Italian club have confirmed that there is no recall clause in his contract, which rules out the prospect of a return to City this month in the wake of a series of unconvincing performances by Claudio Bravo, the Chile international recruited from Barcelona by manager Pep Guardiola in August to replace Hart.

Bravo currently sits at the bottom of the Premier League table for goalkeepers' shots-to-saves ratio, with the 33-year-old managing figures just above 36 percent, according to Opta.

And in recent games, Bravo has conceded 13 goals from the last 21 shots he has faced, prompting calls for Guardiola to drop the error-prone keeper and restore Hart to the team.

With City not including a recall option in their deal with Torino, however, there is no opportunity for Guardiola to make that change, but sources close to Hart have insisted that the 29-year-old has already accepted that his City career is over while the Spaniard is manager at the Etihad Stadium.

Torino are keen to sign Hart permanently, but chairman Urbano Cairo has admitted that the England No. 1's salary and transfer fee are likely to make it impossible for the club to finance a deal.

Liverpool have already ruled out a move for Hart, either in January or the summer, with manager Jurgen Klopp ready to back current goalkeepers Simon Mignolet and Loris Karius.

But having impressed during his six months in Serie A, Hart is expected to be the subject of interest from the Premier League and other major European leagues.

^ Back to Top ^