Celtic to continue pursuing Forster. Zog back on the radar?

Posted on June 24th, 2011 | 9 Comments |

Celtic interest in Fraser Forster.
£1.5m bid rejected
Celtic are still interested in Newcastle United keeper Fraser Forster despite getting their first offer rejected, and the Charles N’Zogbia rumour has been resurrected a bit.

Celtic are likely to pursue Fraser Forster with increased vigour – along with increased money – after getting their £1.5m offer for the goalkeeper rejected.

Celtic boss Neil Lennon said:

Obviously I need a goalkeeper. A bid has gone in for Fraser Forster. At the minute they are saying he’s not for sale but we will maybe pursue that again later on.

Since he’s never actually played a game for the Newcastle first-team and has expressed a strong desire to join Celtic, I think there’s a good chance the Scottish club will eventually get their man.

I think it will be hard enough for Pardew to keep Harper and Krul happy as both players will be making a claim to be the first choice keeper, and keeping a third goalie – one who’s just come back from a season of first-team football – happy is probably asking too much. I reckon £2m-£3m will probably see him between Celtic’s sticks next season.

Meanwhile, Deep Throat has been back in action trying to clean up the alleged ‘mercenary’ image of Charles N’Zogbia a bit. The ‘source close to N’Zogbia’ passed the following quote along in a plain brown envelope marked ‘Eyes Only’:

Charles is still on holiday in the States. But he would be delighted to come back and complete a move to Newcastle.

It’s not all about money for Charles and, despite what people have said, it is very much about football for him. He knows what a massive club Newcastle are and is determined to be part of things next season.

It seems that Dave Whelan has stopped trying to irritate Mike Ashley with higher transfer quotes for non-Champions League teams and has set the fee for the player at £9m for everyone. Potential suitors have leverage though as The Zog will be available on a free in a year’s time and Whelan’s nerve could be tested towards the end of the transfer window if nobody is prepared to pay the £9m.

Liverpool, Aston Villa and the Mackems are also said to be interested in the player.

So it seems that the Zog rumours that were dying a death in relation to Newcastle have been given the kiss of life and are doing the rounds again. How it’ll all end up is anyone’s guess.

NUFCBlog Author: Hugh de Payen I'm a baby-boomer of the punk rock persuasion, currently exiled in Somerset for crimes committed in a previous life where locals keep trying to poison me with something called 'scrumpy'. Hates sprouts, coat-hangers, Cilla Black, ornaments, Steven Seagull movies and 50 Cent (he's not worth 10). Hugh de Payen has written 634 articles on this blog.

Related Posts:


9 Responses

  1. i guess no one will sign him now and wait till he become free agent and then NUFC will sign him since they are signing so many free agents

  2. i think it may be harper who will go. Fine servant of the club but lacking the edge of given and the command of his box

  3. Because it is Whelan who is Ashley’s sworn enemy it wouldn’t surprise me if Ashley takes the opportunity to embark on a period of personal negoitation with Whelan, just to annoy him, that could take bargaining to a new level of tetchy brinkmanship.

    With regard to our keepers, an ideal long term plan would be to have Krul and Forster fight it out with Harper as a coach. Krul and Forster have at least 10 more years ahead of them. But it would be cruel to Forster if the club denied him the opportunity to become the number one at Celtic. When clubs would a player out on loan they know the risks that the player may not come back eg Tozer and Lua Lua. Hopefully Sturridge can see that his future is not with Chelsea but with us.

  4. I would not take anything less than 5 mil for him,i think if we going to sell a keeper it would be more likey harper

  5. Why don’t we just loan him out again.
    1.5m is peanuts.
    See QPR are sending our Wayne back.

  6. 5Mill + Best + RTaylor. or if he’s desperate to join a “big club” he’ll wait until Jan when he’ll be cheaper..