Team can be better
Dyche gets Hart going again
repeat it and win back to back. Here, maybe it’s more complicated for the contenders – all the teams are good. That’s why we should reflect with some perspective on last season.
“Can we improve? In terms of results in the Premier League, I cannot overcome the numbers of last season. But in the way we play, yes. And in other competitions, the FA Cup and Champions League, always we can do better.
“If I felt it’s done and we cannot improve, I would not be here. I stay here because I think we can improve. But to get more than 100 points – no.
“I’ll be happy if we arrive at the end game being there [in contention]. We cannot deny there are more contenders – Chelsea, United, Tottenham, they have excellent players and that’s why no team have won back to back in 10 years.”
Apart from Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling, back on Monday, Guardiola will have all of his World Cup stars available tomorrow. They include Brazilian Gabriel Jesus, 21, who signed a contract extension keeping him at the Etihad until 2023.
City have applied for a work permit for Brazilian youngster Douglas Luiz, signed for £10million from Vasco Da Gama a year ago but loaned to Girona for the season. Guardiola feels Luiz has the potential to fill the void left by his failure to land long-term midfield target Jorginho, who went to Chelsea. JOE HART has ended two years of uncertainty over his career by joining Burnley in a shock £4million move.
The former England goalkeeper’s career has been in limbo since he was bombed out when Pep Guardiola took over at Manchester City in 2016.
Hart, 31, was loaned out to Torino in 2016-17 and then West Ham last season but returned to City this summer with both club and player looking for a permanent move away.
That opportunity has now been presented by Clarets boss Sean Dyche, who has agreed a fee with City, and Hart had a medical at Turf Moor last night.
It is understood he taken a cut in £120,000-a-week wages has his to ensure the deal went through. Ironically, the door to the move was opened by the dislocated shoulder injury suffered by Nick Pope, who was one of the three keepers Gareth Southgate chose ahead of Hart for England’s World Cup campaign.
Pope could be out for six months and with Tom Heaton nursing a calf injury – after missing most of last season with a dislocated shoulder – Dyche moved for Hart.
After a frustrating summer in the transfer market, Dyche is set to complete a second signing this weekend after agreeing an £8m deal for Swansea midfielder Sam Clucas.
He also has bids in for West Brom striker Jay Rodriguez and Middlesbrough defender Ben Gibson as he tries to strengthen his squad in the hope they can match last season’s seventh-placed finish in the Premier League and cope with the extra burden of playing in the Europa League for the first time.
Dyche has held a long-term interest in Clucas, who also travelled to Turf Moor yesterday for a medical.
His imminent transfer will allow Swansea boss Graham Potter to move for Brentford midfielder Ryan Woods.
It is understood the Swansea hierarchy have long questioned Clucas’ attitude since his £15m move from Hull less than a year ago.
The 27-year-old scored twice against Arsenal last season but could not prevent Swansea being relegated. SOUTHAMPTON are plotting a £15million move for Lille defender Kevin Malcuit.
Saints boss Mark Hughes is ready to battle Napoli for the signature of full-back Malcuit, 27, as he looks to continue his spending spree.
Hughes has already splashed out £51m on four new signings. Malcuit only joined Lille from St Etienne last summer for £8m. FULHAM hope to beat Real Sociedad to a loan deal for Real Madrid defender Theo Hernandez.
The 20-year-old left-back has told the Champions League holders that he would prefer to stay in Spain.
But Fulham have jumped to the head of the queue for Hernandez’s services by offering to pay his wages as well as a £1.8million loan fee.