Celtic tie up deal to keep Craig Gordon at the club until 2020

CELTIC have tied Craig Gordon up on a bumper new deal.

The Hoops rejected two Chelsea bids in the region of £3-million for their keeper over the January transfer window.

The London giants had wanted Gordon to come in as cover for their number one, Thibaut Courtois.

Speaking then, though, Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers was adamant the Scotland internationalist was going nowhere.

He said: “It is a credit to the way the players are performing that there is speculation and people are talking about these clubs.

“But Craig is very much part of what I am doing here. He is 34, can go on for a number of years and be a real pillar of this team.

“Would Chelsea be wasting their time? Yes, of course. We don’t want to sell him.

“His contract is up at the end of the season but the club have the option of another year. Selling Craig’s not something we would even consider.”

And once the window shut, the club proved good to his word by putting together a lucrative package which will keep Gordon at Celtic Park until 2020.

The news will also end speculation the 34-year-old harboured any resentment against the manager.

Rodgers axed him from the team earlier in the season in favour of Dorus de Vries, a player he brought in after previously working with him at Swansea.

Gordon had been told he needed to work on his distribution if he was to be part of a Celtic side under Rodgers.

He did exactly that, returning to the side noticeably more comfortable with the ball at his feet.

It helped him reclaim his place in the side from Dutchman de Vries, who conceded seven goals in the Nou Camp when Celtic were thumped by Barcelona.

And, as we now know, in the process helped secure his long-term future with the Treble chasers.