COMMENT
Torino sporting director Gianluca Petrachi cut a disappointed figure when it became clear that he would not be able to agree a deal with Sampdoria for Emiliano Viviano.
However, then the goalkeeper's agent, Claudio Vigorelli, suggested a rather surprising alternative. "I can give you a gem," he claimed. "There is one very, very good English player available: the goalkeeper Joe Hart."
Petrachi was aware that Hart's future at Manchester City had been thrown into the doubt, with the 29-year-old having been dropped to the bench by new coach Pep Guardiola for the club's Premier League season-opener against Sunderland, on August 13.