Man City transfer news: Joe Hart joins Burnley in shock £4million move

Posted Saturday, August 04, 2018 by Express.co.uk

Man City transfer news: Joe Hart has joined Burnley in a shock £4million move (Image: GETTY)

JOE HART has ended two years of uncertainty over his career by joining Burnley in a shock £4million move.

The former England goalkeeper's career has been limbo since he was bombed out when Pep Guardiola took over as Manchester City in 2016.

Hart, 31, was loaned out to Torino in 2016-17 and then West Ham last season but returned to City this summer with both club and player looking for a permanent move away.

That opportunity has now been presented by Clarets boss Sean Dyche who has agreed a fee with City to allow Hart to have a medical at Turf Moor last night. It is understood he has taken a cut in his £120,000-a wages to ensure the deal went through.

Ironically, the door to the move was opened by the dislocated shoulder injury suffered by Nick Pope, who was one of the three keepers Gareth Southgate chose ahead of him for England's World Cup campaign.

Pope is now facing six months out of action and with Tom Heaton nursing a calf injury – after missing most of last season with a dislocated shoulder – Dyche moved for Hart.

After a frustrating summer in the transfer market, Dyche is set to complete a second signing over the weekend after agreeing an £8m deal with Swansea for midfielder Sam Clucas.

And he also has bids in for West Brom striker Jay Rodriguez and Middlesbrough defender Ben Gibson as he tries to strengthen his squad in the hope the can match last season's seventh placed finish in the Premier League and cope with the extra burden of playing in the Europa League for the first time.

Dyche has held a long-term interest in Clucas and finally looks to have got his man.

Like Hart, Clucas travelled to Turf Moor yesterday for a medical and his imminent transfer will allow Swansea boss Graham Potter to move for Brentford midfielder Ryan Woods.

It is understood the Swansea hierarchy have long questioned Clucas' attitude since he arrived from Hull less than a year ago for a £15m fee.

The 27-year-old former Debenhams shop worker scored twice against Arsenal last season, but he couldn't stop Swansea from being relegated to the Championship.

The Swans will make a £7m loss on Clucas, but his desire to move on means Potter was willing to let him go and receive funds which will enable him to improve his squad.