Joe Hart does not see a future at Manchester City

Joe Hart admits he is expecting to be made available for transfer again by Manchester City when his loan spell at Torino finishes.

The England goalkeeper is on a season-long loan with the Italian outfit after slipping down the pecking order at City following Pep Guardiola’s appointment as boss over the summer.

The tone of a statement Hart, who has been with the Blues since 2006, released around the time of the move to Serie A suggested he believed he would not be returning to City.

And in an interview with Sky Sports’ Soccer Saturday programme this week, the 29-year-old said about next summer: “I don’t think City are going to be standing in the way – if somebody really wants me, then I’m probably going to be made available.

 

“So it will be about talking and working out what is next and what the best move is for whichever club that might be and for myself.

“I’ve not been sent here to see how I do or see if I improve. I’ve been sent out because I wasn’t wanted.

“I’m not here to prove what I can do, I’m here because I need to look elsewhere and I didn’t have a chance to sort anything permanently.”

Regarding Guardiola, Hart added: “I came in after the other players because of the Euros, and when we first had a conversation he said he had his reservations about me.

“I shook his hand, I said it was professionally honest, but not what I wanted to hear.

“I said I wanted to work for him and see what happens but I got the impression that it wasn’t really going anywhere. I got the feeling I wasn’t going to play.

“I spoke to the chief executive (Ferran Soriano) and said: ‘You want me to go don’t you?’ He didn’t stop me with what I was saying.

“I’m up for a fight but you’ve got to be clever and pick your battle. It was the opinion of a guy who has got a lot of power at the club and I wasn’t on the right side of it.

“The goalkeeper he signed (Claudio Bravo) was a good goalkeeper. He liked Willy (Cabellero) as well, he liked Angus (Gunn) and I wouldn’t say there was an awful lot coming in my direction so I thought I needed to go elsewhere and I’m really grateful to Torino for giving me the opportunity.

“I would have backed myself but I prefer thinking about how I can help Torino now rather than ‘what if’ or ‘I could have done that’.”

Hart insists he feels no bitterness towards City over the situation.

“It’s football,” Hart said.

“I’ve seen loads of mad stuff happen. I’ve seen people leave that I didn’t think were worthy of leaving and people staying that maybe shouldn’t. It just moves along and there is no point getting wrapped up in it.

“My feelings towards City will never change. I feel really strongly towards them as a club and I really want them to do well.”