Arsenal
Aston Villa
Chelsea
Crystal Palace
Everton
Fulham
Leeds United
Liverpool
Manchester City
Manchester United
Newcastle United
Nottingham Forest
Southampton
Tottenham Hotspur
West Ham United
Wolverhampton Wanderers
News
‘He loves Celtic’: Pundit talks £10m ace Bhoys reportedly want to buy – but there’s a problem
Celtic on-loan goalkeeper Fraser Forster – a reported permanent target for Neil Lennon – has been praised by one-time Hoops ace Mark Wilson, in conversation with the .
Forster has been on Southampton’s books since the summer of 2014, when he left Parkhead for St Mary’s Stadium in a £10million deal (), and has made 125 appearances for the Saints, but fell out of favour under both Mark Hughes and then Ralph Hasenhuttl.
The 32-year-old made just one first-team appearance for Southampton last season, the penultimate game of the 2018-19 Premier League campaign against West Ham, in which he conceded three goals, and his last senior appearance prior to that was on Boxing Day 2017, when the Saints were beaten 5-1 by Tottenham.
However, Forster’s loan switch back to Celtic has proven a new lease of life for his career, with for Lennon’s side this term prior to the shutdown, and numerous superb performances and saves, in particular his masterclasses against Lazio at Celtic Park and against Rangers in the Scottish League Cup final.
That said, Wilson isn’t sure whether Celtic could afford Forster’s £90,000-a-week wages, and it would be “asking a lot” for the goalkeeper to take a substantial drop in salary.
Also factoring in a transfer fee which would have to be paid if the move took place this summer, Wilson feels another loan deal would be the best scenario for all parties.
“It’s going to be incredibly hard to try and convince Fraser to take a drop from £90,000-a-week and I mean that in the best possible respect to Fraser,” Wilson wrote in the .
“I think he loves Celtic. You can see how much he enjoys performing in that pressure environment for the club. But I think if you take anybody in any employment and they’re on such a substantial amount of money and ask them to take such a substantial drop, it’s asking a lot. That’s going to be difficult.
“If it was this summer there would have to be a transfer fee involved in it as well… if it suited all parties a loan would probably be the best deal again.
“He’s surplus to requirements at Southampton just now. They’re getting a substantial amount of his wage paid by Celtic and it suits all parties so I think that could probably be the best route to go down.
“I’m sure Celtic fans everywhere, myself included, would love to see the club sign him permanently on a deal that would run a number of years but I think if there was a way of doing another loan deal that would be the best way forward.”
TBR View:
It’s almost baffling to think Forster was frozen out at Southampton for so long, considering just how well he has done back at Celtic, and he would be an incredible permanent signing for the Hoops.
That said, Wilson is spot on when it comes to doubting the possibility of a potential permanent switch when looking at the numbers involved – and of course you have to factor in that Southampton would probably not be willing to let him go for a low fee.
Given he’s proven himself at Celtic, there could potentially be plenty of suitors interested for the Saints to do business with in the summer – so unless the Hoops are prepared to break the bank and Forster is willing to compromise massively, another loan deal may just be the best option.