Fraser Forster wants to return to Celtic but only on a permanent basis.
The keeper returned to Southampton at the start of the week with the prospects of a deal with Celtic apparently breaking down during Tuesday.
A variety of reasons have been put forward for that with some claims that the keeper has his eyes on a move elsewhere in the EPL.
Forster’s old style school of goalkeeping- concentrating on keeping the ball out of the net rather than fancy footwork- isn’t in fashion in the EPL but at Celtic he knows that he has two strong backers in Neil Lennon and Stevie Woods.
Scott Bain is the only experienced keeper left at Celtic but while there is speculation over signing Joe Hart or David Marshall the door is far from closed with Forster- provided Peter Lawwell sanctions a permanent move.
Derek McGregor of The Sun, who has a strong track record on Celtic contract matters, explains:
Saints sources, however, have told us the 32-year-old WAS prepared to stay at the Hoops if they had agreed a permanent move.
For that, though, Celtic would have had to shell out at least £5million, plus somehow agree personal terms on a three-year contract, with Forster currently on a breathtaking £90,000-plus a week. Saints like Celts midfielder Olivier Ntcham but there’s no prospect of him being used as a makeweight.
Now Hasenhuttl has told Hexham-born Forster he will give him a fair crack of the whip to prove himself again at Saints. Celts boss Neil Lennon desperately wants him as part of the push for ten in a row. And even now it’s believed Lennon still hopes a deal can be done.
Forster left Celtic for Southampton in July 2014 with Craig Gordon taking his place in goals. In 2017 he signed a new Southampton contract which runs until 2022.