Pep rocked by Bravo injury
MANCHESTER CITY are down to one fit senior goalkeeper after Claudio Bravo suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon in training yesterday. Bravo, No 2 to first-choice Ederson, broke down at the City Football Academy and it is feared that he could be out for six months. The Chilean will fly to Barcelona for further tests later in the week. His injury is a blow for manager Pep Guardiola, who got rid of two City goalkeepers in the close season. Former England No 1 Joe Hart, 31, joined Burnley and 22-year-old Angus Gunn went to Southampton in a £13.5million deal. That leaves City with only 20-year-old Daniel Grimshaw as back-up.
Sportsmail understands City are now looking at recalling 19-year-old Aro Muric from a loan spell at NAC Breda in Holland. Both Grimshaw and Muric are highly thought of and were with the City party on last month’s USA tour. Bravo — criticised during his debut season in England — did well in the Carabao Cup last year and would have taken up that role again in cup competitions. City can make free-transfer signings until the end of this month or could apply for an emergency loan. Bravo tweeted: ‘No matter how bad it looks today, life goes on, and tomorrow will certainly be better.’ Meanwhile, City left back Benjamin Mendy has promised not to use his phone in the dressing room after Guardiola said he wanted him to stay off social media a little more. Mendy said: ‘The manager is the chief so I have to listen.’