Reports: Everton looking to sign Joe Hart from Manchester City
Everton are plotting a move to sign Joe Hart according to the Sunday Express. The Manchester City goalkeeper is now said to be Ronald Koeman’s top target to replace Tim Howard.
Koeman is in the market to sign a goalkeeper for the Toffees this summer and is said to have set his sights on England #1, Joe Hart. The Englishman is said to have not managed to impress new boss, Pep Guardiola in training.
Guardiola is trying to convince Barcelona keeper, Ter Stegen to join him at Manchester City. The German international is playing second fiddle to Claudio Bravo at the Catalan club and Pep is trying to lure him away to Etihad with the promise of making him his #1 choice.
Joe Hart struggled at Euro 2016 and has been on an intensive training course to improve his skills. However, Guardiola is not impressed and feels that Hart has made no significant improvement, and hence, he has been forced to look for a replacement.
Joe Hart’s tough situation has come as a blessing for Everton. The Toffees are looking for a new goalkeeper to replace their long-time first choice goalkeeper, Tim Howard – who moved back to America in the summer.
Hart was first made Manchester City’s first-choice goalkeeper 2007 but upon Shay Given’s arrival in 2009, he was loaned out to Birmingham City for the 2009/10 season. His impressive loan spell at Birmingham forced Roberto Mancini to make him the first choice again at Manchester City.
Joe Hart has ever since been the #1 choice at Manchester City and also taken over as England’s #1. But now it looks like he might have to make a move elsewhere if he wants to feature regularly and keep his place in the England squad.
Manchester City are desperate to land all the player Pep Guardiola wants and are said to be willing to offer up to £40m for Ter Stegen. The Catalan giants though are not prepared to let Ter Stegen leave for anything less than his release clause of £67 million.
Marc-André ter Stegen was signed by Barcelona in the summer of 2014 but he’s been playing only in the Champions League and Copa Del Rey matches with Luis Enrique preferring Claudio Bravo as his first choice keeper for the league matches.
Ter Stegen is said to be keen on leaving the La Liga champions in order to play more regularly and with Manchester City keen on signing him, a move might just take place.