Stoke City midfielder Charlie Adam has admitted that he was surprised when Liverpool decided not to pursue Manchester City keeper Joe Hart following his loan move to FC Torino.
The English international was told by incoming City boss Pep Guardiola that he was not needed for the 2016/17 campaign, and was made available in the transfer market on loan following the signing of Barcelona shot-stopper Claudio Bravo.
Despite interest from Sunderland, Everton and initially Liverpool, Hartfinally decided on a move to the Serie A in the search for first-team football.
However, former Red Adam has revealed how surprised he was when the Merseyside club decided against signing the 29-year-old, after suggesting that Liverpool are yet to have found a suitable goalkeeping replacement since the departure of Pepe Reina in 2014.
"I don't think they've had a top goalkeeper since Reina,� Adam said toBBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club.
WTF: Joe Hart celebrates @TorinoFC_1906's 5-1 win on his Instagram. 😂 pic.twitter.com/rlXOpGJFXw
I don't feel comfortable with Lorus Karius, he's still very young but he doesn't impress me. I thought they would have broke the bank to get Joe Hart to Anfield in the summer.�
Despite a nervy start, Hart has settled in between the sticks at Torino, keeping two clean sheets in 10 games, as well as guiding his team to seventh position in the Italian league.
Back in Manchester, despite immense plaudits from boss Guardiola, Bravo has not been as secure and consistent as the club would have expected him to be in the early stages of his City career.