With the recent news surrounding Fraser Forster’s future pointing in the direction of him staying in England although the latest development seems to indicate that he’s going to be made available from Southampton, rumours have been flying around on who will be Celtic’s new Number 1 going into perhaps the most important season in Celtic’s 132 year history.

With Craig Gordon now at Tynecastle, and Forster set to stay in England, our only goalkeeper is Scott Bain, and it seems like the fans don’t have complete confidence in Bain as our number 1. So out of all the players linked to Parkhead, who is best suited to stand between the sticks for Celtic for the ten in a row campaign.

There is obviously still an outside chance that a deal will be done that allows Forster to leave Southampton and join up with Neil Lennon once again at Celtic. That is seems is the preferred footballing option but perhaps the least attractive financial option. All it takes is one English club, perhaps newly promoted to the Premier League to decide that the former England keeper is the best option for them to shut up shop against some of the best strikers in the world.

The money on offer to Forster in that situation would take it well beyond what Celtic would be offering. So unless things do change, then let’s assume that FF is not coming back – so who are the alternative options open to Neil Lennon?

Joe Hart

Former England and Manchester City number 1 Joe Hart is a free agent, having been released by Burnley at the end of June. Joe Hart was on top of the world, he was nailed on as England’s starting goalkeeper, had won multiple league titles with Manchester City, was probably the best goalkeeper in the Premier League and one of the best in the world, and even saved a penalty from the great Lionel Messi.

But, with the arrival of Pep Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium, Joe Hart was quickly outcasted from the Manchester City team as he didn’t fit Pep’s style of football, with Guardiola opting for Chilean goalkeeper Claudio Bravo, and he sent Joe Hart out on loan to Torino, where his season could be described as nothing short of disappointing, only managing 5 clean sheets in 36 games.

Hart also disappointed the following season at West Ham, where he conceded a goal from the halfway line and was replaced by Adrian as number midway through the season. Hart then left Manchester for Burnley, where opportunities have been a rarity in his two seasons at the club, with Nick Pope being the preferred choice. Now a free agent, Celtic have a reported interest in the shot-stopper, with him being the most heavily linked option.

Hart’s story is very similar to one Fraser Forster, who was one of the best keepers in the league and was getting starts for England, but then fell down the pecking order and needed somewhere to revitalise and save his career.

They both also aren’t the greatest with the ball at their feet, but Forster makes up for that with his fantastic shot-stopping abilities and his towering 6’6 frame, whilst Hart has been very error prone and has let many shots go right through him.

If there is anyone who can save Hart’s career, it is the fantastic Stevie Woods, but a season this important shouldn’t be used for saving a fallen star’s career, and there can be no room for error in the transfer market or on the pitch, so I don’t think Joe Hart is the right man, and it would better to sign a keeper who is playing regular football and performing well consistently.

At the moment the word is that Joe Hart is the back-up plan should the attempts to sign Vasílios Bárkas fail.

Vasílis Bárkas

Vasílis Bárkas is almost like a Greek Fraser Forster clone, standing at a colossal 6’4, just two inches shorter than Fraser Forster. Forster frame is one of his key aspects, and one of the things that makes him so good, and signing someone around his height would be ideal.

Transfermarkt has his price set at a cheap £2.16 million however it is likely he would cost upwards of around £5–6million. His name might also sound familiar, and that is because he plays between the sticks for AEK Athens, and started against Celtic in the 2018-19 UEFA Champions League Third qualifying round, where he impressed.

In the Greek Super League he has conceded just 15 goals in 20 games, keeping 10 clean sheets along the way, which are impressive numbers in a league which is of the same quality if not a higher quality than the Scottish Premiership.

He also has European experience for AEK Athens, and 10 caps for the Greek national team keeping 3 clean sheets, which is impressive considering the Greek national team bolsters quality goalkeepers like Benfica’s Odysseas Vlachodimos and Orestis Karnezis. For me, if we are unable to sign Fraser Forster, which is the ideal option, then it would be hard to pass up on Vasílios Bárkas, and it appears that Neil Lennon agrees with this analysis.

Václav Hladký

Václav Hladký’s contract recently expired at St Mirren, and he has caught the eyes of Celtic and the Rangers. In a poor St Mirren side that finished 9th, Hladký was a standout performer and stuck out as a diamond in the rough to Scottish football fans. On a free transfer, there isn’t much of a risk in snapping up the Czech keeper, and he has proven that he can perform well in the Scottish Premiership, but I think he would be quite an underwhelming signing if he is signed to be the first choice goalkeeper. I think Hladký would be a perfect backup goalkeeper and would provide good competition and push our first choice keeper (hopefully Forster or Bárkas ) for the goalkeeper spot.

James McKenzie