Pep mulls £30m bid for Barcelona’s Ter Stegen

MANCHESTER CITY are keen to test Barcelona’s desire to keep goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen as the decision to let Joe Hart go out on loan continues to haunt Pep Guardiola.

Guardiola chased Ter Stegen, 24, all last summer before accepting Claudio Bravo as a consolation prize.

But with Barcelona needing to strengthen this summer and Lionel Messi’s contract up for renewal, City are prepared to go back in and offer £30million for a keeper who is in Germany’s squad to face England in a friendly this week. They will then look to recoup £20m by selling Hart.

City are still so sensitive about the England keeper doing well with Torino that they were unhappy he did an interview with the BBC last week without their permission, even though Hart was gracious about Guardiola and said he didn’t feel his treatment was personal.

Privately, Guardiola realises the goalkeeping situation needs addressing. Bravo, 33, has lost his place to Willy Caballero but the Argentine conceded three goals in Monaco last week.

There are hints Bravo has not settled in Manchester.