Celtic swoop for Forster

17 August 2011 18:30

Celtic have signed goalkeeper Fraser Forster on a season-long loan from Newcastle subject to registration.

The 23-year-old will spend a second season at Celtic Park having played 44 times in a similar arrangement last term, which included a Scottish Cup triumph.

Celtic boss Neil Lennon told www.celticfc.net: "We're absolutely delighted as he's been our main target, basically, since the end of last season."

He continued: "We've worked hard in the background to try and bring him in and we've eventually done that so we're very, very pleased.

"It's given myself a boost and it's given the squad a huge boost as well as we've now got three very, very good goalkeepers, so there's great competition in that area, which is what we wanted all along.

"I felt we'd always get a keeper. Fraser was the one who was top of the list but there were other options that we could have gone for but we're thrilled that he's here now."

Lennon has searched far and wide this summer for somebody to provide competition for Lukasz Zaluska and Dominic Cervi.

Speaking ahead of the Thursday's Europa League play-off first leg against Swiss side Sion at Parkhead and before the deal was confirmed, he said: "We hope to have him registered in time."

On whether he will face Sion, Lennon added: "We will have to see his condition. The form of Lukasz has been very good so we will weigh these things up.

"But it has given myself and the squad a boost. We have three very good goalkeepers so there is great competition in that area which is what we wanted."

Source: PA