Joe Hart Wants Permanent Move Away as Patrick Vieira is Set to Offer Escape Route to Nice
Joe Hart reportedly wants a permanent move away from Manchester City, and has options in France, Italy and Spain, according to reports.
Hart isn't thought to be in Pep Guardiola's plans as Ederson has been an untouchable presence in goal since his arrival from Benfica last summer, but his future could lie in the hands of former City coach Patrick Vieira, who took over as manager of Ligue 1 side Nice last week.
According to the Daily Mail, Arsenal legend Vieira is reportedly very keen to bring the decorated former England goalkeeper to France, as Nice's goalkeeping options look to be up in the air with Yoann Cardinale's future looking increasingly uncertain.
It's likely Hart would face competition from Argentine keeper Walter Benitez should he arrive on the scene in Nice, but it's competition he would relish as he tries to fight back into the England picture.
The news comes after a second successive disappointing loan spell - this time with West Ham, after a disastrous spell with Torino in 2016/17 - resulted in the 31-year-old missing out on a trip to Russia for the World Cup altogether.
England manager Gareth Southgate was quoted in a selection press conference as saying it was a 'difficult call' to leave out his former number one, but blames club performances over the last 18 months for his exclusion - an exclusion that was a largely popular decision among England fans.
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But Hart will be hoping to return to the heights he hit with Manchester City six years ago, should Vieira or another continental suitor show faith in him.
