Celtic boss Ronny Deila wants Craig Gordon to remain at the club
The 32-year-old Hoops keeper, right, is under contract for another 15 months, but Chelsea and other English top-flight clubs are showing interest.
Celtic boss Ronny Deila, however, says he’d be daft to sell the Player of the Year candidate and wants him to remain at Parkhead until the day he hangs up his gloves.
Deila said: “I can’t sell him. I don’t want to. I want him here for the rest of his career. Hopefully that can happen.
“At this level he’s an important player for us. He’s a great keeper and he’s a man we want to keep at the club.
“I understand why other clubs are looking at him because he’s had a fantastic season.
“Myself and Peter Lawwell have already talked about this. It’s also about what Craig wants and hopefully he wants to stay here.”
Chelsea are on the hunt for a back-up to Thibaut Courtois, with Petr Cech set to leave Stamford Bridge this summer.
But Deila reckons Gordon – once a £9million signing for Sunderland – should not be second fiddle to anyone.
The Norwegian added: “I don’t think he wants to do that – he wants to play until the end of his career and we want him to stay here.
“Without him we would not have gone through the group stages in Europe.”
Gordon lost his Scotland place as injury sidelined him for two years, but now wants his position back from David Marshall, with Allan McGregor also vying for the slot.
Deila added: “I haven’t seen the other goalies so it’s hard for me to say. But I can say that if he is third choice, Scotland has a lot of good goalkeepers.”
Celtic can go nine points clear at the top of the table tonight with a win over St Johnstone. Stuart Armstrong is fit, but Kris Commons and Emilio Izaguirre miss out.
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