Southampton have joined the race to sign Joe Hart and are plotting a summer move for the England number one, as per reports.
The Sun have reported that Southampton have entered the race to sign Joe Hart in the summer and are teeing up a move for the on-loan Manchester City goalkeeper. The England number one is also being eyed by the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool for a summer deal.
Hart is currently on a season-long loan spell at Serie A club Torino, and it is looking highly likely that he will not be extending his career with Manchester City when the deal ends at the end of the campaign. Hart himself has given up on his City career after admitting that he is surplus to requirements at the Etihad Stadium.
Hart will, thus, be available in the summer transfer window in all likelihood, and clubs like Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool, among others have been linked with him in recent months, with some other Premier League clubs monitoring the shot stopper as well.
Arsenal are likely to enter the market for a goalkeeper as Petr Cech continues to underperform at the Emirates, which has seen the Gunners being linked with several custodians recently.
Meanwhile, Chelsea are in a precarious situation with Thibaut Courtois, who has been heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid, and could be in need for a top quality goalkeeper.
Finally, Liverpool have seen underwhelming displays by both Loris Karius and Simon Mignolet, and Jurgen Klopp is believed to be looking for better options as the summer transfer window beckons.
Torino are also said to be keen to retain the services of Hart on a permanent basis, after seeing the Englishman produce many impressive performances this season, although he has only kept 5 clean sheets so far. But now, a new suitor has emerged for Hart, with Southampton plotting a shock move for the 29-year-old.
The south coast club fear that Fraser Forster could move away from St. Mary’s Stadium in the summer, with Everton being linked with the 28-year-old. Therefore, Southampton have started scouting possible replacements for their number one, with Hart’s acquisition representing a definite upgrade as well.
It is also believed that City are not keen to sell Hart to a direct rival, which could further boost Southampton’s chances of signing him in the summer. Wages could be a problem, though, with Southampton unlikely to offer anything similar to what Hart earns at City currently.
Only one thing seems certain for now – Joe Hart will be leaving Manchester City and the summer. With clubs lining up to sign him, it will be interesting to see exactly where he heads off to.
