Keeper Bravo joins City on four-year deal

Chilean veteran’s arrival at the Etihad likely to spell the end for former No 1 Joe Hart

Manchester City have announced the signing of goalkeeper Claudio Bravo from Barcelona.

The Chile international, 33, has put pen to paper on a four-year contract at the Etihad Stadium, with Barca saying they will receive 18 million euros (£15.4m) plus a further 2m euros (£1.7m) “in variables” as a result of the deal.

Bravo’s arrival at City is widely expected to lead to the departure of Joe Hart, the England goalkeeper who has been with the club for 10 years and made his first appearance of the season on Wednesday.

Bravo is set to become No 1 at City under his ex-Barca boss Pep Guardiola, with Willy Caballero as back-up.

Caballero started the Blues’ first three games of the season ahead of Hart, whose subsequent Champions League run-out against Steaua Bucharest on Wednesday may well prove to have been a farewell appearance.

Bravo said on City’s official website: “I’m very proud to be joining Manchester City. I know the club is building something very special and I hope I can be part of many successes in the coming years.

“I have followed City’s progress in recent years and obviously know some of my new team-mates from the Copa America.

“It is not easy to leave a club like Barcelona where I had two fantastic years, but the opportunity to work with Pep Guardiola was too good to refuse.

“Now I will challenge the other great goalkeepers the club has and together I hope we can win many trophies.”

Guardiola said: “Claudio is a fantastic goalkeeper and an excellent addition to our squad.

“He has experience and great leadership qualities and is in the prime of his life. He is a goalkeeper I have admired for a number of years and I’m really happy he is now a City player.”

Bravo had a trophy-laden couple of years since joining Barca from Real Sociedad in the summer of 2014.

Being used by the Catalan club in LaLiga games – 70 in total – and virtually no other matches, he helped them secure the title in each of the last two seasons.

Bravo, Chile’s most capped player on 106, also captained Chile to Copa America glory both last summer and this.

Claudio Bravo: found the opportunity to work with Pep Guardiola too good to refuse.