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15th Dec 2016

Manchester City keeper Claudio Bravo already ‘wants to return to Barcelona’

That didn't take long.

Mike Wright

Manchester City’s new keeper wants to head back to Barcelona just four months after leaving the Catalan giants, according to reports from Spain.

Claudio Bravo would apparently be happy to go back as number two to Marc-André ter Stegen, who he lost out to in the competition to be Barca’s first choice.

According to the Manchester Evening News, Bravo has been speaking to his former Barcelona teammates and has made it clear he is not enjoying life in England.

A report in Spanish news outlet Don Balon says the 33-year-old is missing his friends back in Spain and is struggling to adjust to life in Manchester.

The reports come just four months after Bravo signed for Pep Guardiola’s outfit for £17m in August.

The Catalan manager ruthlessly axed Joe Hart, who then moved to mid-table Serie A side Torino, as he wanted a keeper who could do more with the ball at his feet.

However since joining Bravo has struggled to impose himself and kept just four clean sheets.

BARCELONA, SPAIN - OCTOBER 19: Claudio Bravo of Manchester City handles the shot from Luis Suarez of Barcelona outside of his area during the UEFA Champions League group C match between FC Barcelona and Manchester City FC at Camp Nou on October 19, 2016 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

A particular low point came when Bravo faced his old team in the Champions League in October and was sent off for rashly handling the ball outside the area.

At the time the game was tightly poised with a Messi goal the only thing separating the two teams. After the sending off Barca went on to win 4-0, handing Pep’s City their heaviest defeat up until that point.