Man City line up Marc-Andre Ter-Stegen as Joe Hart replacment

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Pep Guardiola has targeted Barcelona’s Marc Ter-Stegen, 24, as a replacement for Joe Hart, 29.

The new Manchester City boss wants a ball-playing goalkeeper and has assessed that Hart does not fit the bill. Guardiola wants City to play the ball out from the back and the England goalkeeper is under pressure to adapt to the Spaniard’s style immediately.

Having worked with Manuel Neuer, 30, at Barcelona, Guardiola has exacting standards in this area, viewing Ter-Stegen as the closest fit to his compatriot’s style.

Barcelona are taking Guardiola’s interest seriously and slapped a £67m price tag on their German goalkeeper in an attempt to deter the wealthy English club’s pursuit. Guardiola is believed to be sanguine about the cost and will wait until the end of the transfer window to make a move if necessary.

The news caps a miserable summer for Hart who was widely criticised for his performances at Euro 2016. Carbon copy mistakes against Wales and Iceland raised questions over his handling with calls in some quarters for Fraser Forster to replace the Manchester City stopper as England’s number one.

Any deal almost certainly spells the end of 34 year-old Willy Caballero’s City career. The Argentinean joined from Malaga in 2014 as Hart’s understudy and the arrival of another goalkeeper will see him shipped out.

 

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