West Ham United have been heavily linked with a move for Manchester City outcast Joe Hart.
Joe Hart has been in the spotlight this last week
The Hammers have been heavily linked with Hart – as reported by the likes of Sky Sports after Pep Guardiola recently confirmed the England ‘keeper has no future at the club.
That has been underlined by his decision to shell out a world record fee to bring Brazilian goalkeeper Ederson to the Etihad.
The rumoured move for Hart has divided opinion amongst West Ham fans with many stating they would have preferred to go after a younger stopper like Jordan Pickford or Jack Butland.
Others simply feel Hart is no longer a top quality goalkeeper and point to his recent displays for England as evidence.
And his recent displays for the Three Lions have seen Hart become a figure of fun in both the media and on social media and football forums.
But legendary Premier League goalkeeper Shay Given has leapt to the defence of his former City teammate telling talkSPORT he is being unjustly vilified.
Premier League legend Shay Given
“I was coming back from Belfast and I didn’t see the game, but on my Twitter feed Joe (Hart) was getting hammered,” Given told talkSPORT.
“I was thinking ‘I need to see these goals’. I looked at the goals when I got home and I was like ‘Oh my god I’m glad I’m nearly packing it in for a ‘keeper’ because they are two fantastic free-kicks from Leigh Griffiths.
“The media, social media, the papers and everything are proper on his case and I don’t see it.”
Scotland’s Leigh Griffiths celebrates scoring his second free-kick in minutes against Hart
Cynics will say Given is looking after the goalkeeper union but he is not the only stopper to defend Hart as former Hammers hero Jimmy Walker also dismissed suggestions Hart was at fault.
West Ham boss Slaven Bilic is at something of a crossroads when it comes to goalkeepers.
With Hart available Sky Sports claims the Hammers are reportedly looking at a loan with the option to buy, a deal structure favoured by co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold.
And that could give Hart the perfect platform to prove to everyone he still has what it takes to mix it with the best.
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