Tottenham keeper Fraser Forster was hailed by Lionel Messi and his exes include Apprentice star and Neighbours actress
FRASER Forster is set for an extended run in the Tottenham first team, following an injury to a long-term injury to first choice No1 Guglielmo Vicario.
The unlucky Italian has undergone surgery on a fractured ankle suffered in a match against Man City and faces “months” out, according to Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou.
But that won’t faze seasoned pro Forster, 36, who will be a welcome face in the dressing room before a match day.
It has been said that shotstopper has been good for team morale as the joker of the pack amongst his teammates.
While his goalkeeping ability has been hailed in the past by Argentinian legend, Lionel Messi.
Away from the pitch, Forster has also had celebrity romances in the past.
SunSport delves in the world of the former England goalie.
“He performed inhumanely”
Forster came through the ranks at Newcastle, but he first came to prominence playing for Celtic.
After a loan spell in Scotland in the 2011-12 season, he was snapped up by The Bhoys the following summer for £2million.
It was the 2012-13 campaign where the giant goalie, who stands at 6ft7in, produced a performance that was hailed as “the best goalkeeper display I’ve ever seen” by Lionel Messi.
Forster played twice in the group stages against the Argentinian, including in one of the most famous night’s in the club’s recent history.
Celtic, incredibly, beat a Barcelona team that featured Messi, Cesc Fabregas, Alexis Sanchez, Dani Alves, Xavi, Andres Iniesta and more 2-1 in Glasgow.
Forster’s display left a lasting impression on the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner.
After that match, in which he made seven saves, he earned the nickname ‘The Great Wall of Glasgow’.
Messi even admitted that Barcelona considered signing him.
“Fraser Forster’s performance against us was talked about for a long time,” Messi said, according to the Daily Star.
“There was a game in Scotland where he performed inhumanly, it’s the best goalkeeper performance I’ve seen.”
The Argie World Cup winner added: “When Victor Valdes said he was leaving, we even talked about him playing here. I was sure that he would end up at Arsenal, Chelsea or Manchester United.“
Famous exes
Not only is Forster popular with one of the best players of all-time, he’s also dated celebrities.
In 2009, he met future The Apprentice star Leah Totton when she was studying medicine at University of Anglia.
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They dated for four years, before splitting up as she geared up to star on the reality TV hit.
Leah and Forster rekindled their romance after she won the 2013 show, but it wasn’t to be – with the long-distance romance fizzling out.
She went on to launch the Dr Leah Botox Clinic, and has been very successful in her own right.
In 2018, Forster was then reported to be dating Aussie soap beauty, Olympia Valance.
The Neighbours beauty received a large bouquet of red roses on her birthday from the giant keeper.
She posed excitedly with the flowers, captioning the snap: “The birthday that keeps on giving. What a surprise @fraserforster!!!! I’ve literally never seen so many roses! THANK YOU!!!!!’
Valance sent tongues wagging again when she posted a picture of her and a mystery man enjoying a date in Los Angeles, which was believed to be Forster.
It’s not known why it didn’t work out. Beforehand, Valance had her own celebrity romance with One Direction star Niall Horan.
Joker in the pack
Although Vicario’s injury will be a blow for Spurs, Forster will offer a much-needed morale boost in the dressing room.
Many of his former teammates have said that he is the joker of their team.
Most recently, Timo Werner was asked in a chat with the Premier League’s YouTube channel who is his funniest teammate is.
He said: “I love a lot about Fraser Forster and his jokes, but in terms of funny actions, I think Emerson Royal.”
This was backed up by Micky Van de Ven who previously said to the same question: “Fraser Forster! He’s always joking around in the changing room.”
Former teammate Mohamed Elyounoussi also joked that Forster was a “class clown” during his time at Celtic.
“Fraser is a really good guy,” he said in the Scottish Sun back in 2019.
“At Southampton I talked to him a lot and in the end we were in the same situation. He was always quite positive down there.
“I’d say he was kind of a clown, he talked a lot and made a few jokes. He’s still the same guy here.
“Fraser is a quality keeper. I think he was the best goalkeeper down at Southampton. He’s amazing when he’s at his best.”