Manchester City hold talks with club legend over ambassadorial role – TV punditry role also expected

Premier League champions Manchester City have held talks with club legend Joe Hart over a possible return to the club in an extended ambassadorial role.

The current Celtic goalkeeper is retiring from the top-level of the professional game at the end of the ongoing season, leaving the playing side of the sport on a high having been crowned Scottish Premier League champions under Brendan Rodgers.

Despite leaving Manchester City at the very start of Pep Guardiola’s tenure in 2016, Hart remains in very high-regard at the Etihad Stadium and played an integral role of the club’s growth following their Abu Dhabi takeover in 2008.

Across 10 seasons with Manchester City, Joe Hart amassed a staggering 348 appearances in all competitions, winning two Premier League titles under Roberto Mancini and Manuel Pellegrini, as well as an FA Cup and League Cup double.

And while Guardiola appeared to indicate the end of Joe Hart’s affiliation with Manchester City, an emotional return for the legendary shot-stopper could now be on the cards following his retirement from the game this summer.

As per the information of Jack Gaughan, writing in MailSport’s latest edition of their Man City Notebook, there have been talks with Manchester City about expanding Joe Hart’s ‘ambassadorial role’.

This would reportedly see the England international become one of City’s ‘special envoys’ representing the club on trips across the globe. A similar role has been taken up by the likes of Joleon Lescott, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Paul Dickov in recent months and years.

Hart’s opportunities are likely to be extended to TV punditry, with MailSport reporting that the 37-year-old will be an addition to the BBC’s Euro 2024 punditry team this summer. There has also been interest from Premier League Productions to work for them next season.

Since leaving Manchester City, initially on a loan agreement in 2016, Joe Hart has only spoken highly of his former employers, commenting in 2021 about his love for the opportunities he had in east Manchester.

Hart explained on his Manchester City connection and eventual exit, “I loved being there, loved playing there, loved the direction. It wasn’t about what I wanted. People came in who didn’t want that – that’s not because they had anything against me, they just had a different vision. Unfortunately, I didn’t fit into it.

“It wasn’t ideal… A lot of love for that place. My love stems from when I played with Trevor Sinclair when I first came in. A huge club to me. They were in the lower half of the Premier League, but there were established England stars like Trev and people like that.”

Hart continued, “That will forever be in my heart. I love the club. The team chops and changes, it’s tough to keep up. As far as the club and the people of Manchester City, we will always have a connection. That will always stay with me and is something I’m proud of.”