FRASER FORSTER will sign a contract to become Celtic's permanent goalkeeper after spending the last two seasons at Parkhead on loan from Newcastle.
The decision comes after months of negotiations, and delivers to Neil Lennon the man he has always had at the top of his list for his No.1. In August, Celtic agreed a £2 transfer fee with Newcastle United when theybrokered a deal to bring the 24-year-old back to Parkhead for a second loan spell.
However, personal terms proved to be more of a sticking point, and the Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell has been engaged in protracted discussions with the player's agent, Mark Curtis, which, at one point appeared to have stalled.
Craig Gordon, the Scotland goalkeeper and more recently, Sweden internationalist Andreas Isaksson, have been linked with Celtic as Lennon considered options should an agreement with Forster not be reached.
Despite Alan Pardew's announcement on Tuesday that he expected Forster back at St James' Park next week, the player will sign for Celtic in time to report for pre-season training on Monday.
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