Manchester City Transfer News: Joe Hart Talks Sky Blues Future Amid Rumours

Joe Hart has acknowledged he is now "surplus to requirements" at Manchester City and hinted he will look elsewhere to earn regular game time.

Hart also revealed that moving to another Premier League club is not necessarily a priority. 

The England international went on loan to Torino at the beginning of the 2016-17 season after Sky Blues manager Pep Guardiola signed Claudio Bravo from Barcelona and it became clear Hart was no longer City's No. 1.

Hart, 29, is now aware his long-term future lies away from the Etihad Stadium, but he said he holds no grudge against Guardiola for clearing him out of the club, per the BBC’s Premier League Show (h/t the Press Association, via the Guardian):

"

I’d say I’m pretty much surplus to requirements at my parent club at the moment.

I want to play football, I love to play football. If that opportunity’s not going to be given there then I’m going to have to look elsewhere and I smay have to make somewhere else my home.

I don’t know where my future lies, in terms of time-wise, because I’ve certainly had no communication with anyone.

The best thing that I can do is work hard, do my best for Torino, do my best when I represent my country and hopefully the rest will take care of itself.

I love the Premier League but I wouldn’t say it’s top of my wishlist. Top of my wishlist is to play for a club that wants me to be their goalkeeper.

[...]

I know it’s nothing personal on me, [Guardiola's] not that kind of guy. He didn’t do it to ruin my life. He did it because he thought that was what was right for him to win as a manager.

"

Bravo has not enjoyed the best of starts to his career at City and has recently been displaced as No. 1 by Willy Caballero after a string of poor performances:

However, Guardiola recently made it clear that he is happy with the two stoppers he has in his squad and effectively ruled out Hart returning to the club, per the Press Association's Andy Hampson:

Since going on loan to Torino, Hart has been heavily linked with interest from both Arsenal and Liverpool and has reportedly been cleared to join one of City's top-six rivals, with the Sky Blues valuing him at around £20 million, per the Times' Paul Hirst (h/t Metro's Mark Brus).

However, recent rumours have suggested he could remain at Torino, with Guardiola and City reportedly now not so keen on him joining a Premier League rival, per Tuttosport (via Lucas Sposito of Sport Witness).

Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images

And now there are suggestions City could use Hart as a negotiating tool with Torino as they attempt to sign 23-year-old striker Andrea Belotti, per La Gazzetta dello Sport  (via The Sun's Andrew Richardson).

The Italian forward has been in blistering form this season, netting 22 Serie A goals in 24 appearances, per WhoScored.com.

He would be a fine addition to City's front line, while throwing Hart into the deal could help bring the transfer fee down a little,

What seems abundantly clear is that Hart's City days are over, but he will not be short of suitors given his enduring quality and vast experience.