Friday 19 August 2016 23:38, UK
Pep Guardiola will let Joe Hart leave Manchester City if he asks to go - but believes the goalkeeper will improve if he stays to fight for his place.
The England international - who so far is not known to have requested a transfer - was left on the bench for the club's Premier League opener, a 2-1 win over Sunderland, last weekend.
Everton manager Ronald Koeman has been linked with a move for Hart, while Sky sources understand the player would consider going abroad for the sake of getting first-team games.
Sevilla and Borussia Dortmund are thought to be among the 29-year-old's continental suitors after he was replaced in the starting line-up by Willy Caballero.
Guardiola, who is looking to do a deal to sign Claudio Bravo from Barcelona, believes Caballero is City's best option in that position at present - but maintains Hart can prosper if he stays with the former champions.
The Spaniard said: "Yes, of course (I would be open to letting him leave if he asked me). I want happiness for the players.
"I don't want players to stay here if they are not happy. I said to him, if he stays he is going to improve. He is going to understand what we want from our goalkeeper.
"I met a lot of players in the beginning who had their problems, but after one month, two months to one year, they become the best in their position.
"Right now, today, Willy is better in that position. But that doesn't it is going to happen in the future. If they stay I will help them."
"I spoke with Joe from the first time we met in China. I've tried to be clear with him. I have a lot of respect for him as a goalkeeper and a person.
"I know his values, I know his talent and I was clear what I am looking for. If Joe stays here it will be a player that is going to fight with the other goalkeepers to convince me to play.
"He knows from the beginning how I feel and what is the situation. Maybe he is staying, maybe he is leaving, this is the same for a few other players."
Guardiola cited his experience of working with another player in the past, Eric Abidal, and making them better as a reason why he feels there is still a way back for Hart at City.
He continued: "I give an example. I met Eric Abidal - a left-back at Barcelona. In the beginning he had problems."But in the end, he became the best left-sided centre-back in Europe, in my opinion; fast, intelligent, strong in the air, in the build-up he was a masterclass.
"The goalkeeper and the centre-back has to play. First he has to be safe and then after he has to help us create a good build-up. That's why I'm here. In the future he can do that.
"Now, Willy had more pre-season, two or three more weeks than Joe, who was on holiday after the Euros.
"But that doesn't mean Willy is going to play the whole season and Joe will not. I told him that in the beginning in China. It was not an easy decision but I was clear. We are not an academy."
