In-limbo England keeper Joe Hart offered lifeline by Portuguese club Sporting Lisbon
Drew Bartle Head Sports Editor
After back-to-back seasons on-loan at Italian Serie A side Torino and Premier League West Ham United, goalkeeper Joe Hart has been offered the chance to join Portuguese giants Sporting Lisbon this summer – likely as the club’s new number one pick between the sticks (via the Star).
It’s said that Manchester City are prepared to facilitate Joe Hart’s permanent transfer away from the club in order for 31-year old to join a club longer-term and get his career back on-track.
Joe Hart’s chances of finding first team football in the Premier League is looking increasingly limited, especially with the kind of wages that the recently-dropped England goalkeeper will likely command.
Sporting Lisbon have emerged as the club that is showing most interest in Joe Hart, with their current number one stopper Rui Patricio set to join Italian side Napoli in the summer transfer window. Patricio’s departure leaves a spot that needs to be filled and the club are keen to give the Englishman the platform to recover his ailing career.
Joe Hart’s career is arguably at it its lowest ebb, with Gareth Southgate dropping him from the World Cup England squad and West Ham declining to exercise any option to sign the keeper permanently. At the age of 31, his career desperately needs a restart in what could be his last big move at the top level.
However, the Daily Mail state that Sporting Lisbon’s offer falls-short of what Joe Hart is earning at Manchester City – a contract which is worth around £120,000 per week. Whether or not there is a lot of foundation to these sizable contract demands is questionable, with Hart (again according to the Daily Mail) willing to consider going to a Premier League as a second choice keeper instead.
