Craig Gordon will stay at Celtic despite new Chelsea bid, says Brendan Rodgers

By Alasdair Lamont and Chris McLaughlinBBC Scotland
Craig Gordon
Craig Gordon would have to displace Thibaut Courtois at Chelsea

Celtic's Brendan Rodgers maintains that goalkeeper Craig Gordon will not be sold in this transfer window, regardless of the size of any offer.

Chelsea have made a second bid of around £3.5m for the 34-year-old, who is in discussions about a new contract.

"You know more than me," manager Rodgers replied when asked about the Premier League leaders' new offer.

"So we want to keep him here. I have no intention of losing him and we look to arrange a new deal with him."

Celtic play Aberdeen on Wednesday - the day after the closure of the January transfer window - and Rodgers insisted: "He will be in the team.

"I think I made it clear, we're very strong on what we're doing here, what we're trying to build.

"I repeat - we don't want to sell him.

"My job here is very simple to look after Celtic, help the club develop on and off the field and part of that is not to give away your best players."

Rodgers, who said he believes Gordon wishes to remain with Celtic, stressed that "him and I have a great relationship" despite having dropped the Scotland goalkeeper earlier this season.

The Northern Irishman pointed out that Gordon had taken his advice on board, seen off the challenge of new signing Dorus de Vries and gone on to win his first Scotland cap for seven years.

"If I treated him that badly, I am sure there would be others who would want to be treated like that as well," said Rodgers.

All five of Asmir Begovic's appearances for Chelsea this season have been in cup competitions
All five of Asmir Begovic's appearances for Chelsea this season have been in cup competitions

"So it is no different to what happened to the likes of Stuart Armstrong and Dedryck Boyata.

"I am always open and honest with players and, if they are not playing how I expect them to play, I will tell them."

Thibaut Courtois is Chelsea's first-choice goalkeeper, but manager Antonio Conte is prepared to let the current understudy, Asmir Begovic, leave Stamford Bridge if he can sign a replacement.

If he was to leave for Chelsea, it would be Gordon's second spell in England's top flight, having joined Sunderland from Hearts in a £9m transfer in 2007.

He spent five years with the Black Cats, but injuries kept him out of action for more than two seasons before he earned a contract with Celtic in July 2014.

Chelsea's initial bid for Gordon was rejected last week by Celtic, with the club insisting that they do not want to sell and Rodgers saying it was well short of Celtic's valuation.

"He is a great guy, hence the reason I want to continue the relationship to work with him," added Rodgers.

"But also because I think he is a fantastic goalkeeper and how he has developed from a player who was nervous with the ball at his feet.

"He made saves for sure, but this has made him better in other aspects of his game and it is clear to see the levels to which he has improved to."

Meanwhile, Rodgers confirmed that he does not expect any players to join the Scottish champions before the end of the transfer window.

However, one or two younger players could possibly leave on loan.

Rodgers also expects Kris Commons, the midfielder who has returned after a loan spell with Hibernian, to remain at Celtic for the rest of the season.