Report: Joe Hart nearing West Ham loan amid Manchester United link

Joe Hart won't attract the wrath of Manchester City fans by swapping his full-time employment to the red side of town.

Following reports that Manchester United had already conducted talks with the English international's representatives, the 30-year-old is instead believed to be drawing closer to another season-long loan, this time to West Ham United, with a view to a permanent transfer.

Slaven Bilic is willing to give Hart another chance in the Premier League, The Telegraph's Chris Bascombe understands, after he had the No. 1 jersey stripped off him by Pep Guardiola last summer and was sent on loan to Torino.

West Ham's fondness of Hart likely stems from the fact that it didn't look particularly strong between the sticks in 2016-17, as Darren Randolph and Adrian sparred for minutes.

The first name on Manchester United's team sheet is David De Gea, and although he's been expected to roll up at Real Madrid for some time, there's been little in the papers to suggest that this lucrative switch is back on. That would mean there's no immediate vacancy for Hart at Old Trafford.

Newcastle United's reported interest in the player has seemingly cooled, with Rafa Benitez's lot finding the financial package required to bring in Hart too rich. Everton's link to the Shrewsbury Town product abated when its £30-million nab of Jordan Pickford from Sunderland was completed in June.

Things didn't fare so well for Hart in Italy, with the goalkeeper making several high-profile gaffes despite endearing himself to the locals. He still demands a substantial wage packet and high transfer fee, however, after collecting four Golden Gloves, two league titles, and amassing 71 England caps.

Hart would prefer to stay in England, and has voiced his admiration for Manchester City - which he joined in 2006 - on numerous occasions. The door is firmly shut at the Etihad Stadium, though, since Ederson Moraes was welcomed to the Blues for around £34.9 million not long after the conclusion of the 2016-17 campaign.

His route back to City could be blocked off further by the potential signing of Napoli's Pepe Reina, who certainly fits the bill of a goalkeeper able to quickly instigate attacks through his smart distribution. Gianluca Di Marzio of Sky Sport believes the Campania outfit is open to taking Claudio Bravo off City's hands following a tough initiation in Blighty, and will let Reina move the other way as part of the deal.