’Keeper poised for City loan switch

MARTON Fulop was expected to train with Manchester City today after the Premier League blocked the Champions League–chasing Blues from prising Joe Hart back from Birmingham.

The Eastlands outfit approached league chiefs after injuries to Shay Given, Stuart Taylor and David Gonzalez, leaving Gunnar Nielsen as their only fit goalkeeper.

City asked whether they would be allowed to recall Hart, who is on a season–long loan at Birmingham, and have now been told that would not be acceptable — but that they would be allowed to sign Sunderland’s third–choice ’keeper Fulop as cover.

It is understood that the Premier League board felt that allowing Hart, chosen as the goalkeeper in the Professional Footballers Association’s team of the year and a likely member of England’s World Cup squad, would be too much of an advantage to City in their battle for fourth place and qualification for the Champions League.

The Premier League have been at pains to avoid any possibility of legal action by member clubs following Sheffield United’s successful challenge to West Ham over the Carlos Tevez affair.

The suggested solution of allowing Hungary international Fulop to act as cover would help City out of a sticky situation without giving them any significant advantage over their closest rivals, or put another Premier League side at a major disadvantage.

The next step is for City to lodge a formal request with the league to take Fulop on loan as an emergency measure.

City last night said they expected Fulop to join up with them for training today.

Nielsen, who is a Faroe Islands international, came on for the final 17 minutes in the 0–0 draw at the Emirates Stadium.