CELTIC boss Neil Lennon has admitted the club may not be able to afford to buy Fraser Forster on a permanent basis.

The Saints goalkeeper produced another man-of-the match performance as Celtic beat Rangers in the Scottish League Cup final at Hampden Park on Sunday.

Lennon has backed Forster for an England recall and made it clear he would like to bring him back to Parkhead on a permanent basis, five years after he moved to Saints for £10m.

But with Forster under contract to Saints until 2022, his transfer fee and wages are an impediment to any move.

“It’s about affordability,” Lennon told The Scotsman.

“That’s something we can talk about. I’ll talk to the player but first we have to make the call to Southampton and I’ll need to speak to (chief executive) Peter Lawwell about that.

“Is it beyond us? I don’t know. Would I love to do it? Of course, but we have to be realistic at times and we can’t go overboard either. We have to be prudent but we have him right now and it’s fantastic, because he’s definitely made us better.”

Lennon, who has been back at Parkhead for ten months, was also Celtic’s manager during Forster’s first spell with the club, before leaving a few months before Saints bought the goalkeeper in August 2014.

“I think he’s better now than he was before and I certainly think (England manager) Gareth Southgate should have a look at him,” he added.