Ste Hoare 
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Fraser Forster has earned plenty of plaudits for his performances at Celtic this season, with the former England international impressing on many different occasions.
As it stands, Forster will leave Celtic at the end of the season, when his loan deal from Southampton comes to an end.
However, speaking exclusively to Read Celtic, former Celtic coach Alan Thompson, who was part of Neil Lennon’s coaching staff when he first brought Forster to the club, said that the Scottish champions should be doing all they can to sign the 31-year-old on a permanent deal.
When asked if he thinks signing Forster should be Celtic’s priority this summer, he said:
Yes, I would say so. Knowing Fraser as I do, and considering the age he’s at, he’d be the perfect person to go on and be the Celtic number one for a number of years, where he can hopefully help them win more titles and more trophies.
When asked if he sees Celtic and Southampton being able to strike a deal for Forster, Thompson admitted that it won’t be easy, given that Saints might be looking for a large transfer fee and because there will need to be negotiations with the player over his wages.
I don’t know if they can get there, in terms of the numbers, for a transfer fee and his wages.
However, Thompson revealed that Lennon is a huge fan of the goalkeeper and is sure that he’ll be doing all he can to bring him to Celtic Park on a permanent basis.
I know what Neil thinks of him because Neil and I brought him to Celtic when he first arrived, before he moved on to Southampton. We know what he’s all about, he’s a fantastic goalkeeper, he’s got a great attitude, he’s a big character and he’s mentally tough, so he fits the bill to be a Celtic number one if they can sort the numbers out.
As it stands, Forster will return to Saints at the end of the season. It remains to be seen if Celtic will be able to keep him at Parkhead for next season and beyond.
