FORSTER’S 18 CRUCIAL DAYS

FRASER FORSTER is at the centre of a Celtic transfer mystery as the champions prepare for a tilt at a historic 10 in a row.

The towering keeper has been involved with the rest of the Hoops at Lennoxtown which has led to reports he will be at Parkhead in the new season.

Fans’ favourite Forster was a sensation during his loan period from Southampton after arriving in August, helping the team to their ninth successive crown as well as turning in a Man-of-the-Match performance in the Betfred League Cup Final triumph over Steven Gerrard’s Ibrox outfit in December.

It was expected the skyscraper shotstopper would immediately return to the south coast club when the campaign officially came to a premature halt due to the coronavirus pandemic.

However, it appears Forster’s temporary switch with the Parkhead men does not expire until the end of this month.

According to transfermarkt, the contract has until June 30 to run, so the six times-capped England international star still has 18 days on the deal which explains his presence at Lennoxtown and also the Covid-19 testing with the rest of the players.

Boss Neil Lennon remains hopeful of securing a deal to bring the 32-year-old netminder back to the club he left in the summer of 2014 in a £10million move to the English top flight.

He has dropped down to third place in the Saints’ pecking order behind Alex McCarthy and Angus Gunn and the Hoops boss is hoping to persuade the club to allow the goalie to return either on a temporary or permanent basis, as CQN reported.

The next 18 days will be crucial in Forster’s Celtic career.