James in plea to Fraz

James Forrest insists everyone at Celt ic desperately wants a deal thrashed out for Fraser Forster’s return.

Neil Lennon revealed he was looking at alternative options after the Southampton keeper stalled on a fifth spell with the champions.

That news came as a blow af ter Forster’s influence on last season’s success, particularly his standout display between the sticks in the Old Firm Betfred Cup Final win.

Forrest ’s Scot land team-mate and ex- Celt David Marshall, Joe Hart and AEK Athens’ Vasilios Barkas have been linked.

But Forrest, at the club’s pre-season training base at Loughborough University before flying out to France for a trio of friendly games, is hopeful Forster might yet be back.

He said: “Everyone is hoping Fraser comes back. I played with Fraser before and then last season he came back and did tremendous.

“We just need to wait and see over the next couple of weeks to see what he decides but we all want him back.”

Forrest is delighted to be back in contact training and admitted the top-notch training facilities have helped the club ahead of the big kick off on August 1.

He said: “A few of the staff had been there before and recommended it. The training pitch is quality, the gym is state of the art and everything is right on our doorstep.

“We’ve had a good few days doing single and double sessions. It will all go up another gear when we go to France.

“Everything we have done until now has been good, hard work. But once we get over there and start playing against top- quality opposition we will know the season is getting up and running.”