Antonio Conte makes first summer signing bringing experienced Premier League star to Tottenham

England goalkeeper Fraser Forster has signed a deal to be the back-up stopper at Tottenham Hotspur for next season.

Antonio Conte is still in Italy, where he is cooling off, after leading Spurs back to the Champions League for the first time in three seasons.

The demanding Italian manager has however given his blessing for the club to sign free agent Forster, who will strengthen the goalkeeping department ahead of what is expected to be a riveting full season under Conte.

Pierluigi Gollini, the current back-up ‘keeper is expected to return to Italy, after failing to dislodge Hugo Lloris, despite arriving in north London with a big reputation as one of the success stories of Atalanta.

Forster, 34, only missed the last two games for Southampton after he decided against renewing his contract at the St Mary’s, and will now hope to get in ahead of Hugo Lloris.

Spurs have four competitions, including the Carabao Cup, FA Cup, Premier League and the Champions League, to deal with so the English goalkeeper will have his chance to impress.

Spurs have not yet announced the deal but LondonWorld sources have confirmed an agreement has been reached, and the goalkeeper has already passed his medical in north London.

It is still unclear how long the goalkeeper has signed for, but the deal is likely to be similar to the one Joe Hart signed when Jose Mourinho was the manager.

A year’s contract, with an option to extend for another, as Spurs continue their careful search for a long-term successor to Hugo Lloris.

Fraser Forster has been at Southampton since 2017, where he arrived from a successful spell at Celtic, and has been solid rock in post for the Saints.

He has been fighting things out with Alex McCarthy and so challenging Hugo Lloris will not be new to the giant English gloveman, who will have his own ambitions of getting back to the Three Lions squad ahead of the World Cup later this year.