Joe Hart latest to be leaving Tottenham as rebuild continues

Joe Hart was not at Tottenham Hotspur long joining on a free last summer but did his part for the last year and has rewarded the club with a little transfer purse.

It was surprising to some when Tottenham Hotspur signed Joe Hart in August 2020. Hugo Lloris had been seriously injured the prior season and then backup Paulo Gazzaniga had done a solid job replacing Lloris. Whether or not Hart was just signed to carry a clipboard or actually serve as the number two became clear enough, soon enough, as Hart was part of the squad all season, and Gazzaniga was left out and eventually loaned out.

Hart was Tottenham’s second keeper

All told Hart played 10 matches for Tottenham last season, with all ten coming outside the Premier League. Hart first appeared in Europa League qualifying, serving as the keeper in both the third round and play-off round of qualification. Hart gave up a tough goal to Shkendija, where it took some late heroics for the Spurs to advance in that third-round match. Despite conceding two goals to Maccabi Haifa in the play-off the Lilywhites easily advanced.

Hart played better in his six matches in Europa League proper. Hart was the man for five of the six group stage matches, earning four wins and a draw with three shutouts. As Spurs advanced, Hart’s role diminished and he only played again in the second leg against Wolfsberger in the round of 32, a 4-0 Spurs win. Hart was on the bench for both legs of the Dinamo Zagreb.

Hart was in every matchday squad for the entire season but only played two more games outside those eight European matches. Hart started in the FA Cup in both the third and fourth rounds in 0-5 and 1-4 wins over Marine FC and Wycome. It was Lloris, not Hart who gave up five goals to Everton in the fifth round and Lloris played all four EFL Cup games as well.

Gollini and Whiteman make Hart expendable for Tottenham

There are some rumors about Hugo Lloris potentially being unhappy at the moment, regardless, Hart became expendable this summer. First, Tottenham has shown some real faith in the academy product Alfie Whiteman. Whiteman has played most of two preseason games now and has done okay. His highlights include a penalty save and he has demonstrated solid shot-blocking ability.

Even more significant for Spurs has been the addition of Pierluigi Gollini on loan this summer. Gollini was signed with an option to make the deal permanent and is in line to potentially compete with Tottenham’s long-time captain in Lloris.

Good opportunity for Hart and Tottenham

Now with two future keepers outside of Lloris, moving Joe Hart became a real possibility. Still only 34-years-old, which is young by goalkeeping standards, Hart showed he was more than serviceable last season and with a move to Celtic on the cards, may have the opportunity to play every day.

He is still a leader on the pitch and a commanding presence in the box. Additionally, while not a sweeper keeper, his leg is more than ample for good distribution. Certainly, an opportunity to play every day and for Tottenham to get paid for a player picked up on a free makes this move just too good for either player or club to pass up.