The England goalkeeper has been linked with a loan move to Goodison Park
The future of Joe Hart is starting to crystallise, with Pep Guardiola demoting him to Manchester City’s second-choice goalkeeper – and there is the potential of dropping even further down the pecking order once the Catalan signs a new stopper.
What is unclear, however, is what happens next for England’s no.1.
Everton are monitoring the situation with Hart , although reports suggest there are clubs on the continent willing to sign him – a move that could be attractive to the 29-year-old.
One thing is for sure: if the Blues were to go firm on their interest, whether with a permanent move or a loan deal, they would be getting a goalkeeper that is still highly regarded in the game.
It would also tick yet another box for Ronald Koeman, who wants a top-class goalkeeper at Goodison Park.
Yet, there would be caution from some, too. He has not seemed at his best for a while and, despite his 63 England caps, there would be a feeling that there is better out there.
He is a divisive figure now, so here is an exploration of both the pros and cons of signing
PROS
A commanding presence: At 6 foot 5, he fills the frame of the goal and is good at commanding his area. He looks every inch of a top-quality goalkeeper, and one of his most notable strengths is making him big and smothering chances, denying strikers in one-on-one situations.
He is not just a presence on the pitch, either. He appears to be a player who designates himself the responsibility of firing up others, a leader of the group; think back to any big game, at City or England, in the past five years and Hart will be energising his team-mates. He has been criticised for that – perhaps leading to a lack of focus once the game begins – but he is clearly a big character in the dressing room.
Experience at the highest level: Hart has won two Premier League titles, one FA Cup and two League Cups. He has featured in Champions League quarter-finals and a semi-final – last season at the Bernabeu – and picked up four Golden Glove awards since 2010. At international level, he has played in both the World Cup and European Championships.
Simply put, he knows what it feels like to play in high-pressure situations. At a club trying to re-establish its big-game mentality under Ronald Koeman, that could be an essential part of it. Having England’s current no.1 in the goal is no bad thing.
Still only young: He is not yet 30, so could conceivably spend 10 years at Goodison Park. Granted, any deal could only be a temporary one, but if it were to be permanent, there is plenty of playing time left in Hart.
Though he has faced criticism recently, the reality is he has not yet reached his peak. There is still time for him to develop, and the set-up Koeman has installed at Goodison could help him fulfil even more potential. The move could galvanise his career
CONS
Poor form: There is no escaping the fact Hart has lost a lot of lustre over the past few seasons. Once considered, unconditionally, in the league’s top three goalkeepers, there are now a number who are better than him. He has become less and less reliable in terms of stopping shots, and does not instil the confidence in his defence that he used to.
Of course, City’s central defensive issues have not helped him. When Vincent Kompany was missing, it fell upon Eliaquim Mangala and Nicolas Otamendi to repel attacks. They were often unsuccessful, and left Hart exposed. Despite that, it cannot be denied Hart has been on a downward trajectory recently, and there is no guarantee he will reverse that.
Mistakes: This is part of the poor form, of course, but his tendency to produce mistakes would alarm Koeman. In the past few months alone, he has made three errors that have led to a goal – two of them in high-profile Euro 2016 matches. Against Wales, he allowed Gareth Bale’s free kick to squirm in; against Iceland, he was blamed for their elimination having failed to stop a weak Kolbeinn Sigthorsson effort as England lost 2-1. In a less important scenario, he failed to collect a simple ball in City’s pre-season game with Arsenal, allowing the Gunners to equalise – they would go on to beat City 3-2.
Koeman likes reliability and dependability, but Hart – even when regarded as the league’s top goalkeeper – was prone to making errors.
Is there no one better? This might seem a harsh question, but it is one that has to be asked. Hart has not been deemed good enough for City by Guardiola. Why should Everton look to better their own squad with a player who is no longer deemed as good as Willy Caballero?
Of course, Hart’s likely Etihad exit has to do with his style of play – and, in fairness, he is more suited to keeping goal in a Koeman side than a Guardiola one, with the Dutchman less fussed about his goalkeeper being a dribble wizard. Despite that, to fulfil such an important role in the side with a City cast-off does not offer the ambition Everton now look towards.
He is young, but there is younger out there. He is commanding, but there are stronger, more imposing ‘keepers available.
The last time Everton signed an unwanted goalkeeper from Manchester, it didn’t turn out too badly – despite how Tim Howard’s career would eventually end on Merseyside. Yet this is a different Everton now, and there should be better out there.
By Kristian Walsh / Echo
