Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Fraser Forster has been called up by England as a replacement for Newcastle United’s Nick Pope.
That’s according to The Athletic, who claim that Pope has pulled out of the England squad through injury.
It’s unclear just what Pope’s injury is but he did play the full 90 minutes for Newcastle at Nottingham Forest on Friday.
Gareth Southgate has been forced to pivot and call up another goalkeeper to replace Pope.
Southgate has decided to go with Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Fraser Forster.
The 35-year-old will now offer competition for Jordan Pickford and Aaron Ramsdale in the upcoming international break.
England face Italy and Ukraine over the next week and Forster will join Tottenham teammates Harry Kane and Eric Dier in the squad.
Fraser Forster back in England squad after Tottenham form
Forster couldn’t have expected this moment when he joined Tottenham last summer.
The veteran stopper left Southampton at the end of his contract and decided to join Spurs on a free transfer.
Signed as cover and competition for Hugo Lloris, Forster – who earns around £75,000-a-week at Spurs according to Spotrac – was just viewed as homegrown backup.
Yet with Lloris now injured, Forster has stepped up and fared well as Tottenham’s first-choice stopper of late.
Antonio Conte has been praising Forster, telling Football London that he feels the stopper has been ‘playing very well’.
Conte also told Football.London that he felt Forster made a ‘fantastic’ save against Southampton, picking him out for praise despite his incredible rant.
Forster’s performance have now been recognised by Southgate and he is back in the England squad against all odds.
The former Newcastle United man was called up in March of last year but having decided to become a backup at Tottenham, another call-up seemed unlikely.
Forster’s last England cap came way back in 2016 but he now has a chance to add to his tally of six caps for the Three Lions.
In other news, Chelsea now make Inter Milan approach to beat Tottenham to Andre Onana transfer