Manchester City: Manuel Pellegrini rejects Joe Hart exit talk

Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini has denied that goalkeeper Joe Hart will leave the club in the January transfer window.

Hart, 26, has missed the last five City games after being dropped but is set to play against Viktoria Plzen in the Champions League on Wednesday.

"There is a lot of news about six or seven goalkeepers that we want to buy but it is not true," said Pellegrini.

"There is no chance that Joe Hart could go out of this squad in January."

Hart lost his first-team place after a mistake against Chelsea led to Fernando Torres scoring a winner as City were beaten 2-1 at Stamford Bridge on 27 October.

He played for England in their 1-0 defeat by Germany in an international friendly on 19 November but has seen his club spot taken by Romanian Costel Pantilimon.

Pellegrini said Hart will play in the home game against Viktoria Plzen but would not be drawn on his first-choice keeper for the Premier League match with Swansea at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

"When we start the next game of the Premier League, we will talk about who will start playing," added Pellegrini.

"The important thing for Joe is that he will play on Wednesday and we hope he will have a very good performance."