Burnley complete signing of Joe Hart from Manchester City

Hart will compete with Nick Pope and Tom Heaton for a first-team place at Turf Moor

Mark Critchley
Tuesday 07 August 2018 10:53 BST
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Burnley 2018/19 Premier League profile

Burnley have completed the signing of Joe Hart from Manchester City on an initial two-year contract.

Hart, who fell out of favour at City two years ago upon the arrival of Pep Guardiola as manager, ends a 12-year stay at the Etihad to join up with Sean Dyche at Turf Moor.

The 31-year-old could make his debut in Thursday's Europa League qualifier against Istanbul Basaksehir and will compete with Nick Pope and Tom Heaton to be Dyche's first-choice goalkeeper.

Hart, Pope and Heaton have all received call-ups to Gareth Southgate's England squads over the past year and will want regular playing time at club level during the coming season.

Pope, however, is currently sidelined for three to six months having dislocated his shoulder in the first leg of Burnley's previous Europa League qualifier against Aberdeen.

Heaton, meanwhile, is nursing a calf strain, having recovered from a dislocated shoulder of his own earlier this year.

Hart was deemed surplus to requirements at City by Guardiola during the summer of 2016 and spent the following campaign on loan in Serie A with Torino.

An unsuccessful loan spell at West Ham United last season led to Hart losing his status as England's No 1 and ultimately cost him his place in Southgate's World Cup squad, with Pope preferred as a third-choice goalkeeper.

Hart was determined to secure a permanent move away from City this summer rather than move on loan again and it is understood he has agreed to a considerable drop in wages in order to move to Burnley.

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