Celtic look set to begin their pre-season fixtures with a skeletal goalkeeper department with no obvious sign that Neil Lennon will have replaced either Craig Gordon or Fraser Forster by the time they return from France with three games under their belts.
Speaking to Football Insider, former Premier League striker, Noel Whelan has backed one individual in particular to succeed in Glasgow if the Hoops recruitment team is unable to negotiate a deal for Forster’s return.
So what has Whelan said?
When asked to reflect on the situation that Lennon has found himself in and what he should do next, Whelan said:
“It is frustrating. You have to think that if they can’t afford to buy him, where do they turn?
“Lennon will have people in mind and Joe Hart’s name has been talked about. He is a free agent so he will cost nothing and they will be able to afford his wages.
“He would be a standout goalkeeper in the Scottish Premiership. A player that has bags of experience and it is not like he will be playing against Aguero and Salah every week, there is not that amount of quality.
“He would fit straight in and be the presence that Celtic fans would be more than happy with.”
So is Whelan correct?
Absolutely, Joe Hart may not be in his prime but at 33-years old he still has plenty of seasons ahead of him between the sticks, especially given that he has very rarely missed games through injury.
His form over the last couple of years may not have been the best but Celtic fans would do well to remind themselves of Forster’s own troubles before resurrecting his career with his loan spell at Parkhead – so impressive was his resurgence that a return to the England national squad was even mooted.
Hart represents a solid option, experienced at the highest level as Whelan rightly says and perhaps, more importantly, is available for free. With Scott Bain already available, it would at least be a decent start with the season just a couple of weeks away from kicking off.