Transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Tottenham Hotspur now have a ‘deal agreed’ to sign Southampton goalkeeper Fraser Forster ‘in the coming days’.
The Lowdown: Forster’s Saints departure
The 34-year-old veteran first arrived at the St. Mary’s Stadium in a £10m move from Glasgow giants Celtic back in 2014, where he has since gone on to make 161 appearances during his eight-year spell with the south coast outfit.
The shot-stopper’s contract with the Saints, however, is set to expire at the end of June, making him a free agent to any potential suitors interested in securing his services.
With it recently being confirmed by the Lilywhites that current second-choice keeper Pierluigi Gollini will be leaving the Premier League following the conclusion of his loan spell, it’s no secret that Antonio Conte’s side will need a suitable replacement.
The Italian has already dipped into the free agent market to sign Ivan Perisic, and Romano brings more good news...
The Latest: 'Deal agreed’
In a post on his personal Twitter account, Romano confirmed that the deal is now ‘completed’, with an announcement from the club expected imminently. He wrote:
“Contract until June 2024 for Fraser Forster as new Tottenham goalkeeper. Two year deal agreed with Spurs to replace Gollini, Forster will be announced as second signing after Perisic in the coming days.
“Paperworks already completed, waiting for official statement.”
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The Verdict: Perfect second signing
With the six-cap international soon set to be unveiled as a new Spurs player, he could prove to be the ideal backup option for number one Hugo Lloris and will no doubt provide some strong cover for the Frenchman in Conte’s match-day squad.
The Hexham-born talent, who was once hailed an “exceptional” player by Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, has got plenty of experience under his belt, not only in the top flight with Ralph Hasenhuttl’s Southampton, but also in the Scottish Premiership with the Hoops, having kept a total of 199 clean sheets throughout the duration of his career.
Standing at a staggering 6 foot 5 between the sticks, Forster’s most memorable day of 2021/22 was actually 'one of the best goalkeeping performances in the league this season' against Arsenal, giving a 'ridiculous' display in a 1-0 Saints win that helped put Tottenham back in the top four race (Josh Bunting).