According to quotes from Celtic Football Club in the media they have turned down a bid for goalkeeper Fraser Forster.
According to news on the BBC Celtic have turned down flat a bid from Saints for England goalkeeper Fraser Forster, reports have put this bid at £7.5 million but the Scottish club have stated that the offer is far from that figure and describe it as derisory.
Celtic signed the keeper from Newcastle two years ago for £2 million and although they are making the right noises about not wanting to sell etc they recently signed former Sunderland and Hearts keeper Craig Gordon on a two year deal to add to their goalkeeping roster and it could be they will look to cash in.
The problem Celtic have is that in terms of league football they have no real competition and with Forster looking to try and make his way up the pecking order in the England squad he needs to be playing a lot better standard than the Scottish Premier league, a few games in the early rounds of the Champions League in a season is not enough.
With crowds at Celtic not what they where since Rangers being demoted down the leagues, money is also a factor and the Glasgow club know they are not in a strong position to hang on to their better players either in terms of finance or standard of football on offer, Celtic fans won't like to hear that but it is the reality of the situation.
To offer a figure far lower than the asking price is usual opening transfer negotiation fare, now we will see how serious Saints are and whether they will go back and come to an agreement.
Goalkeeper is not a position that Saints are desperate to fill, Artur Boruc had a fine season last year, yes there is a problem with a back up to Boruc, but if Forster arrives it could see Boruc depart and then Saints would be back to square one again.
Ideally Paulo Gazzaniga would go out on loan and perhaps Saints would get in a decent Premier standard keeper willing to sit on the bench in the twilight of their career, however I would not think either Boruc or Forster will be prepared to play second fiddle to one another so if Forster goes I would not expect Boruc to be here past January.