Brendan Rodgers: Keeping Craig Gordon would be my best Celtic signing
Thursday 2 February 2017 10:53, UK
Brendan Rodgers says extending Craig Gordon's contract would be his best signing after the goalkeeper helped Celtic to a 1-0 victory over Aberdeen after Chelsea failed in a bid to sign him.
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Celtic have a year's option on the 34-year-old when his contract expires this summer but a longer and better deal is in the offing.
"It was difficult for Craig because I don't think he is built for the stress," Rodgers said. "He is a big guy who is calm and laid back and it probably got on his nerves.
"But I have reassured him that he is an absolutely massive part of what I'm doing here.
"You see the level of his game, his composure, his quality, everything. And I'm very hopeful that soon we will tie him down for longer here because he is a huge player in relation to how I want my team to operate. That will be our best signing once that gets done."
Chelsea also have an interest in Moussa Dembele but Rodgers could afford to joke after the striker reaffirmed his commitment to Celtic after travelling to London for a deadline-day scan on a knee injury.
Rodgers said: "We had to make sure the physio didn't lose sight of him down there.
"Ironically the hospital he was in was in Chelsea, believe it or not. So I said to Tim (Williamson), be like Franco Baresi and just stay tight to him.
"But he was happy to come back. He is loving it here. He got some fluid out of his knee, he has had a good reaction to it, so we will see how he is for the weekend."
