Bravo, over and out! Keeper leaves Blues
GOALKEEPER Claudio Bravo has left City at the expiry of his contract.
The 37-year-old won two Premier League titles and two Carabao Cups during his time with the Blues, and is being lined up for a return to Spain by Real Betis.
Bravo made 61 appearances for City in four seasons, although he missed almost the whole of the last campaign after injuring his Achilles tendon.
The Chile international was brought to the club by Pep Guardiola for around £17m in 2016, and was installed as first choice ahead of Joe Hart, due to his superior ability with his feet.
He had a traumatic first season as the City defence struggled to come to terms with the new manager’s radical new style of play, and Bravo was - often unfairly - made a scapegoat as the Blues finished that season without a trophy.
His debut was in the derby defeat at Old Trafford when he dropped the ball to give Zlatan Ibrahimovic a goal in a 2-1 win and was lucky to escape a red card - and his season did not improve after that, as he was finally replaced by reserve keeper Willy Caballero.
City reacted by bringing in Ederson for a £35m fee, and the Brazil international relegated Bravo to second choice.
The veteran - who had won two league titles and a Champions League at Barcelona - started to piece his career back together again as No.2 to Ederson, although his subsequent appearances were largely restricted to the domestic cup competitions.
In fact, he made 32 cup appearances to 29 in the league - and was the hero in a penalty shoot-out win over Wolves as City made their way to their first trophy under Guardiola, the 2018 Carabao Cup.
There were more shoot-out heroics as he saved Giorgio Wijnaldum’s spot kick to give the Blues victory in the Community Shield - his first game back after a year out with injury.
Bravo was clearly stung by his experiences at City, but knuckled down to prove to be a reliable and authoritative stand-in keeper.
He could have left during lockdown as his deal expired at the end of June, but agreed to stay for the re-started season, signing an agreement which lasted until the final game.