Aston Villa have been listed as outside contenders to sign Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart this summer.
Bookmaker Sky Bet has listed Aston Villa as outside contenders to pull off a surprise deal and sign Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart this summer.
Hart has seemingly been exiled from the City squad since Pep Guardiola arrived at the Etihad Stadium last year. The England stopper spent last season on loan in Serie A with Torino, and Sky Sports is now suggesting that City are ready to consider selling the 30-year-old permanently.
Joe Hart
Sky Bet has listed West Ham as the 11/8 favourites to sign Hart, while Newcastle are not too far behind at 2/1, which is hardly a surprise with Sky Sports naming both sides as being in the running to sign the former Birmingham loanee.
Some way back in the betting – though still close enough to perhaps be considered as potential contenders to land Hart’s signature – are Manchester United and Championship side Aston Villa.
The Villans are alongside United at 8/1 with Sky Bet, so perhaps may be considering trying to follow up the deal to sign John Terry by targeting another Premier League winner before the new season starts.
Villa certainly need a new goalkeeper with former number one Sam Johnstone only on loan at Villa Park last season, but it would still be a surprise if Hart – who has won the Premier League Golden Glove award a joint-record four times – was the man to come in.
Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce
According to Sky Sports, City would likely have to pay some of Hart’s wages if he was to join a Premier League side on loan, so it would hardly be a shock if they had to pay an even greater amount if he dropped down a division to play for Villa.
Nevertheless, with Villa already securing a surprise deal for Terry during this window, it may not be out of the question to suggest that Bruce is indeed waiting in the wings to try and see if a deal could be done.
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