According to journalist Tom Barclay, Southampton are set to imminently open up contract talks with Fraser Forster.
Forster has shared the goalkeeping burden with Alex McCarthy for the Saints this campaign, appearing in 12 Premier League matches thus far. The 34-year-old shot-stopper’s deal is set to run out at the end of this season, but it appears the Saints are eager to keep him at St. Mary’s Stadium.
Should Forster be given a new deal?
Yes
No
Speaking to GiveMeSport, Barclay revealed talks are set to take place between the England international and the club. He said: “Last I checked a couple of weeks ago, they were starting to look at things in the next couple of weeks, so I guess [talks will begin] around now.”
TIF Thoughts on Forster news…
Despite signing for Southampton eight years ago, Forster is yet to reach 200 games in all competitions for the club – in fact, he only recently broke the 150 mark, moving to 155 outings all in all. He did spend a season on loan at Celtic, his former permanent employers, but that only goes to show he has not always had the full backing on manager Ralph Hasenhuttl.
The goalkeeping position is far from sorted at Southampton. Even if Forster does put pen to paper on a new deal, he will still be fast approaching the end of his career, and 32-year-old Alex McCarthy is far from popular amongst the club’s supporters. Willy Caballero, meanwhile, is 39, and his inevitable retirement is even closer than Forster’s.
At some point, the club will have to plan for the future. Extending Forster’s spell as a back-up option, considering his experience, would be a shrewd piece of business, but Hasenhuttl and the recruitment team must look for someone who can command the box for years to come.