Fraser Forster has emerged as a summer transfer target for Chelsea.
Almost as soon as Antonio Conti was announced as the next Chelsea manager there was speculation that Thibaut Courtois would be leaving Stamford Bridge with Real Madrid expected to be at the front of the queue for the Belgian keeper.
Despite being out of action for almost a year through injury Forster has been in top form for Southampton and will be understudy to Joe Hart at the European Championships.
Conti is well aware of Forster from Celtic’s Champions League matches against Juventus three years ago which came on the back of Celtic’s win over Barcelona in the group phase.
That campaign threw Forster into the spotlight with Gianluigi Buffon tipping the Celtic keeper to reach the highest levels of the game.
“I watch all the top young goalkeepers in the world and I’m sure he can become one of them,” the Juventus keeper said about Forster. “The top three young goalkeepers in the world for me are Joe Hart, Manuel Neuer and Salvatore Sirigu.
“It will be one of those three who will go on to be the best in the world but if Forster keeps on playing like he is there is no reason he can’t be close to or even in that group.
“In a goalkeeper I don’t just look for the great saves but for the authority and confidence he shows. As a goalkeeper you can make only one or two mistakes a season if you want to be the best.
“It’s in the big games where you see character because that is where you are most likely to make mistakes. I have seen both games he played against Barcelona now and not only did he make great saves, he looked confident. He didn’t look like a goalkeeper who was going to make a mistake.”
Forster joined Southampton in July 2014 in an £11m deal from Celtic.