Claudio Bravo will finally train for the first time with his Manchester City team-mates on Thursday but the delay means Pep Guardiola has only 48 hours to decide if the goalkeeper’s debut should be at Old Trafford in Saturday’s derby.
Bravo, 33, was signed as Joe Hart’s replacement on 25 August from Barcelona. Yet the Chilean’s need to tie up the final details of the transfer and the international break mean he will have been working alone for a fortnight before joining Guardiola’s squad on Thursday.
The Catalan demoted Hart, who is now on loan at Torino, and bought Bravo for £17m because he wanted a No1 who he feels is more accomplished with his feet.
The trip to United is for Saturday’s early kick-off, which further reduces the time in which the manager has to decide if he should risk Bravo or retain Willy Caballero.
