Manchester City reach agreement to sign Barcelona goalkeeper

• Posted on August 16, 2016
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

Barcelona goalkeeper Claudio Bravo has agreed to join Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City after the two clubs agreed a deal worth €16m, according to reports in Spain.

Bravo has taken the decision to leave the Spanish champions after learning that he will not feature as the club’s number one for league games in the coming season, with that place instead going to Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

The Chilean was believed to be given the chance to play in Barcelona cup games for the coming campaign, though his demotion to what is effectively a position of second choice has forced the player’s hand. The 33-year-old is being brought in by Guardiola because of his ability with the ball at feet, and the transfer could spell the end of Joe Hart’s career at the club.

Hart has been City’s number one for several years, though Guardiola chose last season’s second choice Willy Caballero in the position for Saturday’s opening Premier League game against Sunderland – seemingly indicating that Hart was not the man he wanted to move forward with.

Speaking to his decision to omit Hart,  Guardiola said: “I’m pretty sure he’s not happy. A lot of players were not on the list. All the players that didn’t play, they are sad they are absent, of course. I would not like them to be happy that they did not play.

“I’m sorry but I have to decide. We have 28 players and a lot of players injured like [Ilkay] Gundogan, like Samir like many, many players. They have to convince me on the pitch – it’s the only way.”

Bravo’s arrival could mean Hart is offloaded before the end of the transfer window, with Everton and Sevilla reportedly interested.

-90min