Hart transplant boosts Burnley

LONDON — Joe Hart said it was the right time to leave Manchester City after Burnley announced on Tuesday it had signed the former England goalkeeper to a two-year deal.

Hart played almost 350 games for the reigning Premier League champion, establishing himself as No 1 for club and country, but fell down the pecking order after Pep Guardiola took the helm at City in 2016.

After two seasons on loan with Torino and then West Ham, the ’keeper was keen to put down roots again. Burnley is just 32 kilometers north of Manchester.

The 31-year-old, who cost Burnley a reported $4.5 million, failed to make the England squad for the World Cup despite playing in all but one of the qualifiers.

“It’s definitely the right time for me to move on,” Hart told Burnley’s website.

“They (Manchester City) are doing fantastic and I’m very happy for them. They need to go on and do their thing and I need to do mine.

“I feel good. I feel like I’m in the right place and I feel like this is my time to kick on now.”

Hart, who has 75 England caps, faces a battle for the No 1 spot at Burnley.

He will be competing against two fellow England internationals, Nick Pope and Tom Heaton, as well as former Manchester United stopper Anders Lindegaard.

Signing a ’keeper was imperative for Clarets manager Sean Dyche. Pope is out for an indeterminate time with a dislocated shoulder while Heaton is also struggling for fitness.

Burnley has a Europa League qualifier against Istanbul Basaksehir on Thursday and begins its Premier League campaign against Southampton on Sunday.

City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak hailed Hart’s contribution at the club, where he won two Premier League titles, one FA Cup and two League Cups.

“Joe Hart’s contribution to Manchester City cannot be overstated,” Al Mubarak said in a statement.

“His 12 years at the club has seen him produce some remarkable performances and heart-stopping saves that will live in the memory for a long time to come.”