OPINION
While it may be widely assumed that Joe Hart will be packing his bags for the trip back to Manchester City this summer, a new report suggests that may not be the case.
According to the Mirror, West Ham are interested in bringing the 31-year-old back to the London Stadium for another season, despite him making several game-changing errors for the club this term.
It is said that Hart’s recent form, bar a mistake last weekend against Stoke, has suitably impressed manager David Moyes, who is considering a fresh move to keep him in east London.
The two-time Premier League winner’s reaction to being dropped mid-season for counterpart Adrian is also said to have convinced Moyes of his suitability at the club.
The initial reaction to this report may be one of disbelief, with Hart costing West Ham a large chunk of points with his constant mistakes this season.
However, if you look closer, this could end up being a stroke of genius from Moyes.
Hart is now 31 years old, and entering his peak as a goalkeeper. While that may not have showed in recent years, his recent performances against Chelsea and Southampton were outstanding, and suggest there is still a top stopper in there somewhere.
If Moyes shows some faith in Hart by bringing him to the club for another season, maybe he will begin to be rewarded with similar performances on a more regular basis.
Hart’s age also lends itself to the fact that he is highly experienced, especially at Premier League level with 320 appearances in the competition, and that is a key part of any squad.
West Ham will be looking to climb the table and potentially challenge for a European spot next season, and having someone as experienced as Hart around surely cannot be a bad thing?
It is clear that Manchester City do not want him on their books, and that puts West Ham in a really good position to secure his signature for another season.
While many may see this as an imminent error from Moyes, Hart may well yet prove his doubters wrong and return to the top of the game with the Hammers next season.