Joe Hart leaves Manchester City to join Burnley

Burnley have signed goalkeeper Joe Hart on a two-year deal from Manchester City for a fee in the region of £3.5m.

The Clarets confirmed the transfer on their official website, revealing an undisclosed fee had been paid for the former England number one.

Manager Sean Dyche was not expecting to be in the market for a goalkeeper this summer but injuries to Nick Pope and Tom Heaton – both England internationals in their own right – forced his hand.

Hart spent 12 years as a City player but went from undisputed first-choice to fringe player after Pep Guardiola’s arrival and spent the last two seasons on loan with Torino and West Ham.

The 31-year-old ultimately lost his place in England’s World Cup squad too, edged out by Jordan Pickford, Jack Butland and Pope for a place in Gareth Southgate’s plans this summer.

Hart, who boasts 75 international caps and two Premier League titles, will wear squad number 20.

Hart won the Premier League twice, the FA Cup once and two League Cups at City.

City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak bid Hart a fond farewell.

In a statement he wrote: “Joe Hart’s contribution to Manchester City cannot be overstated.

“His 12 years at the club have seen him produce some remarkable performances and heart-stopping saves that will live in the memory for a long time to come.

“His passion for and commitment to this club, evidenced by a remarkable tally of 348 appearances, means he will rightly be regarded as a City legend in perpetuity.

“I want to personally thank him for everything he has given to us over very many years and he leaves with (owner) Sheikh Mansour’s and my heartfelt best wishes for the next step in his career.”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *