Joe Hart will deliver for new club if he leaves the Etihad, says ex Man City goalkeeper
Wednesday 17 August 2016 14:13, UK
Joe Hart will be an asset to whichever club he joins should he leave the Etihad this summer, according to former Manchester City goalkeeper Tony Coton.
Hart has been forced to settle for a place on the bench for City's opening two games of the season and Sky sources understand he is set to leave the club, with Everton the favourites to capture his signature with SkyBet.
"It's disappointing from Joe's point of view," Coton told Sky Sports News HQ
"It's well-documented that the writing seems to be on the wall for Joe after missing out on the first league game [at Sunderland] and the Champions League game [against Steaua Bucharest on Tuesday night].
"But whoever gets the services of Joe Hart is getting one hell of a keeper."
Claudio Bravo has been earmarked as Hart's replacement at City, and Sky sources understand the Chile international has asked to leave Barcelona in order to be reunited with former boss Pep Guardiola.
Guardiola is known to prefer playing with a goalkeeper comfortable in possession and Bravo's pass completion rate of 84 per cent was the highest of any stopper in Europe's top five leagues last season.
But Coton, who spent half a season with Manchester United after leaving City in the mid-90s, believes Hart can adapt to Guardiola's style of play if given the opportunity.
"I'm sure before Pep Guardiola came to Manchester City he knew what type squad and the type of goalkeeper he wanted but it doesn't look like Joe is going to be that goalkeeper," he said.
"I'm not buying into the fact that Joe Hart cannot clip a 30-yard or a 40-yard ball. He can. My philosophy - first and foremost - is 'does he keep it out of the net?' And Joe Hart keeps it out of the net."
Live Premier League
