Pep Guardiola hopes this week to sign the Barcelona goalkeeper Claudio Bravo in what would be a further blow to Joe Hart’s career at Manchester City.
Luis Enrique, Barça’s head coach, wants a new No1 in place before he allows Bravo to join City, with Ajax’s Jasper Cillessen now ahead of Valencia’s Diego Alves as the expected replacement.
On Saturday, Barcelona posted on the club’s Twitter feed: “FC Barcelona technical secretary Robert Fernández: ‘We have the beginning of an agreement with Manchester City for Claudio Bravo’.” The club then added: “Robert F. on Bravo and his replacement: ‘We are awaiting events this week. When Claudio leaves, we hope to have a new keeper’.”
Guardiola does not want the 29-year-old England goalkeeper at City, and again dropped Hart for Saturday’s 4-1 win at Stoke City. Instead, Willy Caballero was selected for a third consecutive game of the season. Hart is considering his options, but is understood to be unsure about a loan move to Sevilla, despite the Spanish club being in the Champions League. Everton are interested in signing Hart, also probably on a temporary basis.
On Friday Guardiola admitted for the first time he would allow Hart to leave should he wish. He added: “Maybe Joe will stay here and be a player who will fight with the other goalkeepers to convince me to play [him]. It’s simple like that. He knows from the beginning what I feel and what is the situation. After that I know he may be staying, he may be leaving, the same case for other players. That’s what it is.”
