Ben Foster: Loan or Transfer Rumours

[Dj Quick]

keep him u never know when van der sar may be injured goalkeepers is something you need at least 3 of.

[Phil-M.U.F.C.]

Prefer Kuszczak over him to be honest.

[Noucamp99]

Rumours re-surfaced about Foster. The Mail reported that Birmingham have offered £6million for him and that this has been agreed between the clubs in principle. I can't see him staying, tbh, as he has slipped down the pecking order and was last seen playing for the reserves after Zieler moved to Hannover!

[Phil-M.U.F.C.]

yeah doesn't look good for Ben

Foster given no guarantees
Red Devils stopper may have another frustrating campaign

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has offered goalkeeper Ben Foster no guarantees of first-team football in the near future.

The promising stopper had been tipped for great things but has played second-fiddle to Edwin van der Sar for much of the campaign.

Indeed, when Van der Sar was unable to play in December Ferguson even preferred Tomasz Kuszczak for a number of games.

Having previously spent two successful years on loan at Watford, Foster has only made nine Premier League appearances this term and his manager says it may not improve just yet.

"I have had a chat with Ben," said Ferguson. "I understand his dilemma but there is nothing I can do.

"He is a terrific goalkeeper and we will see what the future brings for the boy.

"He has the talent to be England's goalkeeper and we're conscious of that.

"We'd like to help but unfortunately he's not played enough football to get him on that plane to South Africa."

Foster has been capped four times by England but is widely expected to miss out on the World Cup this summer.

The likes of David James, Robert Green, Joe Hart and Paul Robinson are thought to be higher in Fabio Capello's pecking order.

source: skysports.com

[Noucamp99]

He hasn't shown enough in the games that he has played in to warrant a starting place for England, let alone for United. Shame, as he must have had big dreams about playing for United in European finals, FA Cup finals, etc and he gets the Carling Cup final and reserves play off!

I understand if he wants to move on to play regular first team football.

[Phil-M.U.F.C.]

Foster set for Blues deal
United star in talks with Birmingham

Ben Foster is in talks with Birmingham City after they agreed a deal with Manchester United, skysports.com can confirm.

Birmingham are in need of a new number one as loan-star Joe Hart is returning to Manchester City following his highly successful stint at St Andrews.

Blues boss Alex McLeish failed with his efforts to keep Hart for another 12-months and so turned his attentions to the red-half of Manchester, and has now agreed a deal with United for Foster.
It is understood Birmingham have agreed a fee in the region of £5million and that Foster is now in talks with the club.

England international Foster has seen his chances limited at United this term, which has cost him a place at the World Cup finals.

His agent Lee Payne has confirmed to skysports.com that his client is in talks with Birmingham.

"We are close to agreeing a deal," he told skysports.com.

"The two clubs have agreed a fee and given us permission to talk to Birmingham.

"We fully expect the deal to be completed either this weekend or the start of next week."

source: skysports.com

[Phil-M.U.F.C.]

Foster seals Blues move
Keeper hoping to find regular first-team football at St Andrews

Birmingham City have completed the signing of Ben Foster for an undisclosed fee from Manchester United.

The 27-year-old goalkeeper has penned a three-year deal at St Andrews.
Blues boss Alex McLeish moved for the England international after Manchester Cityrefused to consider the prospect of selling Joe Hart.

Hart spent the 2009/10 campaign on loan at Birmingham and a number of assured displays saw him voted into the Premier League Team of the Season.

Having missed out on the opportunity to bring him on board on a permanent basis, McLeish has wasted no time in finding a replacement.

With Foster having found first-team opportunities difficult to come by at Old Trafford, he was only too happy to discuss a move to the Midlands.

A lack of football with United cost him a place in England's World Cup squad heading to South Africa this summer and he knows he needs to be playing regularly if he is to force his way back into the fold.

Determined

Foster is determined to prove himself at the highest level, having struggled to make an impact at Stoke City and Manchester United.
He was snapped up from non-league football by the Potters in 2001 but spent much of his four years at the Britannia Stadium out on loan.

It was during a spell with Welsh outfit Wrexham that he caught the eye of Sir Alex Ferguson, who took him to Old Trafford in 2005.

Injuries and the fine form of Edwin van der Sar blocked his path to the first team with the Red Devils, but he enjoyed two productive loan spells at Championship outfit Watford between 2005 and 2007.

The 2009/10 campaign looked like being the one in which he made his big breakthrough but, after a bright start to the season, he soon found himself back on the bench.

He leaves United having made just 23 senior appearances in five years.

source: skysports.com