BBC pundit Phil Neville surprised Liverpool didn’t sign West Ham United’s Joe Hart this summer

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Phil Neville believes Liverpool should have signed West Ham goalkeeper Joe Hart.

Pundit Phil Neville has told BBC Radio Five Live that he thinks Liverpool should have signed West Ham United goalkeeper Joe Hart this past summer.

The Reds kicked off their Champions League campaign with a 2-2 home draw with Sevilla on Wednesday night, as after Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah had cancelled out Wissam Ben Yedder’s opener, Joaquin Correa grabbed a point for Sevilla.

Liverpool not only saw Firmino hit the post from the penalty spot, but also saw Joe Gomez receive a red card in injury time, in what was a difficult evening for Jurgen Klopp’s men.

Liverpool’s defensive fragility was again on show with another two goals conceded, just days after leaking five goals in the shocking defeat at Manchester City.

With eight goals conceded in just four Premier League games, Liverpool have the worst defensive record of any top half Premier League team, and fans are bemoaning the club’s decision not to sign a central defender over the summer.

Klopp has also been rotating his goalkeepers, with Simon Mignolet and Loris Karius still battling it out for the No. 1 jersey after unconvincing displays from both shot-stoppers over the last year.

Now, pundit Phil Neville has told BBC Radio Five Live that he is surprised Liverpool didn’t sign England international Joe Hart this summer, before he joined West Ham United on a season-long loan deal.

“I’m surprised he didn’t go out and get Joe Hart,” said Neville. “A real top-class, experienced goalkeeper. I think he’s (Hart) better than what they’ve got. I think he would have given them a bit of stature at the back,” he added.

The notion of Hart joining Liverpool isn’t a new one, but the timing of Neville’s suggestion is strange. The 30-year-old has already conceded eight goals in four Premier League games this season, with his displays so far suggesting that he is not much of an upgrade on Karius or Mignolet, if at all – and if Liverpool do target a goalkeeper in 2018, they would surely be looking for a better option than Hart, who is struggling to find his best form.