Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is among a slew of Premier League managers likely to be looking for a new goalkeeper next season.

Despite his manager's repeated public support, Claudio Bravo -- injured in Thursday's 0-0 draw with Manchester United -- is seemingly incapable of making a proper save. Bravo has been an awful mistake but his possible departure, or demotion, does not open the door for Joe Hart.

Guardiola's mind was made up on Hart last summer and there is little sign of a compromise, despite Bravo's troubles and Willy Caballero out of contract in July. Meanwhile, speculation Hart may join another Premier League club has been bubbling in recent weeks, though the number of prospective suitors is not exhaustive.

England's No.1 has attempted to make the best of life at Torino, where he is on loan this season, but performances in Serie A have not made him a must-buy for anyone. His fumble of a cross to present Crotone's Simy Nwankwo with the equaliser in a 1-1 draw on April 15 was not an isolated mistake.

"This is already the third time we concede a goal this way and that's a bit too much," said club president Urbano Cairo.

Flaws have been exposed in Hart's game during his time in Italy.

"I've looked at those goals he has conceded and there's a weakness on the left-hand side at crosses," former Sunderland and Aberdeen keeper David Preece told ESPN FC.

"He's creeping to the near post. It should be a comfortable take, but he's not giving himself a chance. He should be taking a good position towards the back post."

For Torino, Hart is yet to produce a commanding performance to remind of his finest City hours, like saving a Lionel Messi penalty against Barcelona in February 2015 or his chest-beating excellence over both legs of last season's Champions League 1-0 semifinal aggregate loss to Real Madrid. A porous Torino defence gives him ample opportunity to shine but it has not been seized.

While coach Sinisa Mihajlovic has made noises about wishing to retain Hart, popular with colleagues and fans, the financials do not add up. Two years remain on Hart's City deal, meaning his parent club wish to cash in, rather than loan out again while paying the majority of his £110,000 weekly wage, as they have done this season.

A return to England is on the cards, though vacancies are scarce. Manchester United might lose David De Gea to Real Madrid, with Chelsea's Thibaut Courtois reportedly the backup option, and Arsenal are rumoured to be looking for a long-term successor to Petr Cech, but Hart is an unlikely choice for all of them, and City would probably be reluctant to sell to an immediate rival.

Last week, Jurgen Klopp issued a flat denial of a story that reported Hart would be heading to Liverpool to displace Simon Mignolet and Loris Karius.

"It is not for us in this moment and hopefully not in the future, not because of Joe but because we already have two strong goalkeepers," Klopp said.

Mignolet, previously a subject of exasperation for Liverpool supporters, has improved considerably since being preferred to Karius in December.

"I can see why Liverpool would too anxious to move Mignolet on for Hart," David Henderson, a former Ireland goalkeeping coach and scout for Aston Villa, told ESPN FC.

"I think both of them are similar. Both of them are capable of individual brilliance, but also prone to bad decision-making and concentration."

Preece added: "Liverpool are better off strengthening their defence."

Perhaps crucially, Hart's wages are higher than Mignolet's and it remains to be seen whether he might lower his demands to engineer a Premier League return. Further down than the top six, there are potential vacancies at Everton and West Ham, who both dropped their previous starting goalkeepers for last weekend's 0-0 draw at the London Stadium.

Hart at his best would be a significant upgrade on Maarten Stekelenburg, Joel Robles, Adrian or Darren Randolph, though Everton are also reported to be on the list of clubs interested in Sunderland's Jordan Pickford, nominated for this season's PFA Young Player of the Year award.

Long-term, Pickford might even be the right fit for City.

"Distribution wise, he's effortless, the best passer of the ball in Sunderland's team," said Preece.

It was Guardiola's dissatisfaction with Hart's football skills that led to Bravo's arrival and the Englishman's exile in Italy.

Despite Bravo's troubles -- he has made just three saves in six matches this year -- Guardiola has not changed his mind about what he asks from a goalkeeper, meaning the greatest certainty about Hart's unsure future is that he will not be recalled to Manchester.

Source:
courtesy of ESPNFC

by JOHN BREWIN

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