Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte has heaped praise on Hugo Lloris stand-in Fraser Forster, calling him 'fantastic' and 'reliable'.
The Lowdown: Forster called...
The former Celtic star, signed on a free transfer from Southampton last summer, has been forced to stand-in for the injured Lloris recently.
The France international suffered a knee problem last month, ruling him out of action for around six to eight weeks and forcing Spurs to cope without one of their figureheads.
Lloris has been out of form this Premier League season but his presence as a veteran with real experience is invaluable, making Forster's job to replace the 36-year-old a great one.
The Englishman, however, appears to have earned the respect of Conte for his temporary job as Spurs' number one.
The Latest: Conte praises Forster...
Speaking to the media on Thursday, via reporter Alasdair Gold, Conte heaped praised on Forster for his reliability - calling him a 'fantastic signing' for the club.
The Italian stated:
"For sure Fraser is playing very well. He's showing to be a reliable player. He's showing to be a really good guy.
"I remembered him well from in the Champions League when we played Celtic with Juventus. He impressed me and the way to be a keeper.
"At the same time, He's a really good person, a positive person for this dressing room. I think it was a fantastic signing for the club and he's showing he deserves credit.
"For sure Hugo is our keeper but before to come back he has to stay well. We won't force the situation because he needs to be right and Fraser deserves credit. We are really happy with Fraser but when Hugo will be ready he is our first choice."
The Verdict: Great player...
The 6 foot 6 keeper has been a brilliant stand-in for Lloris, but ahead of this summer, Spurs still need to contemplate the Frenchman's long-term replacement.
It is believed that Spurs are looking for an heir with the north Londoners targeting Illan Meslier and Robert Sanchez from the English top flight.
Elsewhere, the Lilywhites have also been looking at Diogo Costa from FC Porto and Mike Maignan from AC Milan - so the club aren't exactly short of options.
Whoever they opt to make their top target, it is perhaps one of sporting director Fabio Paratici's most crucial decisions of the summer window, if he is in fact there for that long amid Juve's financial scandal.