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Brown wants star duo to stay

2012-05-28 02:08:05

Celtic skipper Scott Brown hopes Fraser Forster and Gary Hooper will choose the lure of the Champions League over the Premier League and remain at Parkhead

Hooper: In demand

Forster returned to Newcastle where he still has a year left on his contract after spending the season on loan at Celtic Park. Reports suggest a fee has been agreed to take the goalkeeper to the Scottish champions permanently.

Hooper, who scored 29 goals for the Hoops last season, is being strongly tipped for a switch to the Premier League, with several clubs, including promoted Southampton credited with an interest.

Brown hopes that both Forster and Hooper choose to stay at Celtic and test themselves against the best in the Champions League next season.

The 26-year-old toldThe Daily Record: “If you’re in a good team and playing well, there will always be interest in you.

“Fraser (Forster) has a year left at Newcastle and I’d love to see him back with us but I don’t know what will happen.

“Gary (Hooper) is still signed to the club and we hope he stays. There’s the lure of the Premier League but we’ve the lure of the Champions League if we get through our qualifiers.

“So I hope he stays. He’s one of those strikers you love to play with. He comes to feet, he goes over the top and can score 30 goals a season.

“The Champions League is the tournament you want to be in. It’s going to be hard to go down to England and experience that because you’ve got the big four or five teams fighting it out for places.

“England is for some people and not for others. I enjoy being at Celtic and have no intention of leaving. That’s why I was delighted to sign my new deal.”