‘I love him’: Joe Hart hailed ‘phenomenal’ player last year, now Tottenham are reportedly signing him

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Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly on the verge of signing Fraser Forster on a free transfer.

The Evening Standard has claimed that the 34-year-old will undergo a medical at Spurs.

Forster, who will soon be out of contract at Southampton, will reportedly pen a short-term deal at N17.

Tottenham apparently want Forster as a deputy to club captain Hugo Lloris due to his homegrown status.

Spurs reportedly considered Sam Johnstone too, but it looks as though Forster will be the man to join.

The 34-year-old has clocked up nearly 450 competitive senior appearances at club level.

Forster has also won six caps for England.

The 6ft 7in ace has won four Scottish Premiership titles, three Scottish Cups and one Scottish League Cup with Celtic.

“Nothing but respect for Fraser”

Forster earned widespread praise from Joe Hart, Celtic’s current stopper and formerly of Tottenham.

“I’ve got nothing but respect for Fraser,” Hart told the Glasgow Times last year. “I love him on and off the field.

“And I’ve just been saying on a fans’ forum, if I can manage even a smidgen of what he’s done here in terms of respect and how he’s revered at Celtic, I’ll have done alright.

“Fraser did talk a lot about Celtic – but mainly because I was asking him. I was interested in what he was up to at the club and in Scotland.”

“Thankful to have him”

Scott Bain, the Hoops’ second-choice stopper, has also lauded the reportedly imminent Spurs newcomer.

Forster delivered a masterclass in the 2019-20 Scottish League Cup final, between Celtic and Rangers.

He kept out numerous seemingly goal-bound efforts and also saved an Alfredo Morelos penalty.

Speaking to the Celtic podcast, Bain hailed his teammate and his performance that day.

“As a goalkeeper, you appreciate that performance massively,” he said of Forster.

“I remember watching the game from the stands that day and thinking, this is an unbelievable performance, and one of the best you’re going to see on such a big stage.

“We were thankful to have him, to get away with the win and to lift the cup.

“Fraser was fantastic that day. Once Rangers got the penalty, and once Fraser saved it, you thought, that’s it, it’s game over, they’re not going to get past him today. Since then, he’s been phenomenal.”