Posted August 7, 200717 yr Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon has agreed terms with Sunderland and a £9m transfer from Hearts will be completed on Wednesday, BBC Sport understands. The 24-year-old had been expected to hold talks with Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill before making his choice. But Gordon has agreed a five-year contract to join Roy Keane's side after undergoing a medical at the club. It is understood that Sunderland will pay an initial £7m, plus £2m in future payments dependent on appearances. Gordon had spent two days training with Sunderland after a fee was agreed with Hearts. The Edinburgh club's captain was expected at Villa Park, but Keane appears to have persuaded him that his future lies at the Stadium of Light. Sunderland had a £5m offer rejected in July, but chairman Niall Quinn had stressed on Tuesday that they were determined to get their man. "This is Roy Keane's department really, but we are trying hard," he said. "If it takes a bit longer, so be it. We are not going to lose our nerve now. There are lots of bits and pieces going on behind the scenes. "My message to our fans is that we haven't jumped in when an agent has rung us with a fashionable player. "A lot of things have to fall right for someone to come to play at Sunderland." Sunderland have also made a bid for Tottenham striker Mido after previously failing to sign the likes of Leighton Baines from Wigan and Preston striker David Nugent. English interest in Gordon had been rekindled after Hearts majority shareholder Vladimir Romanov last week indicated he would be willing to sell if the goalkeeper said he wanted to leave. And Villa boss O'Neill had hinted that he had rekindled his interest after Hearts had reduced their "exorbitant" demands. O'Neill is keen to sign a goalkeeper with Thomas Sorensen, who has one year left on his deal, set to miss the start of the season with a hamstring injury. BBC Sport understands that Manchester City boss Sven Goran-Eriksson was also considering entering the bidding - but it now appears that Sunderland have secured Gordon's services. Steve Banks was in goal for Hearts in Monday's Edinburgh derby defeat by Hibernian as Gordon headed south. And assistant manager Stephen Frail was sure that the Scotland goalkeeper had played his last game for the Tynecastle club. "My feeling is that he has," he told BBC Sport. "If a bid has been accepted, it's just about personal terms. "It's very sad and comes on the back of us losing our goalkeeping coach, Jim Stewart, so it's a difficult time. "But it just shows how good the youth policy is when one person moves for £9m." from bbc sport A great player for Sunderland if they manage to get him, he is really only going to get better I think. However they have paid over the odds for him i think
August 7, 200717 yr Fantastic signing for us :yahoo: A bit pricey, but I feel he has the potential to prove his worth with us this season ^_^
August 7, 200717 yr Oh hell yeah :( I have a feeling though that if we do get him, he'll be as successful as Foster was for Watford last season ^_^ Gordon's certainly better than both Ward and Fulop so its not too bad a bit of business ^_^
August 7, 200717 yr Author £9m for a Scottish goalkeeper :o The previous record must have been about £2.50. did you get that off the bbc 606 site? And if he can stop an Henry penalty he can't be bad
August 8, 200717 yr If Craig Gordon had been playing for West Brom, Preston or Watford you'd have said nothing about him being sold for £9m. Finally Scottish clubs are being paid a fair ammount for quality young players. I think Gordon will be a great signing and he's lightyears ahead in quality compared to Ward and Fulop. He, along with Celtic's Artur Boruc, were among the best goalkeepers playing in Britain last year with only Cech and Van Der Sar noticeably better. He's probably the only Scot who'd make a UK team as he's considerably better than Paul Robinson etc.
August 8, 200717 yr If Craig Gordon had been playing for West Brom, Preston or Watford you'd have said nothing about him being sold for £9m. Finally Scottish clubs are being paid a fair ammount for quality young players. I think Gordon will be a great signing and he's lightyears ahead in quality compared to Ward and Fulop. He, along with Celtic's Artur Boruc, were among the best goalkeepers playing in Britain last year with only Cech and Van Der Sar noticeably better. He's probably the only Scot who'd make a UK team as he's considerably better than Paul Robinson etc. Stephen Hawking would do a better job between the sticks than Robinson this last year :( quite why he is in the England team god only knows and he plays for my club, David James is by far the best non foreign goalkeeper in the country As for Gordon I wish him well but he plays in a joke league until now where there are 2 very good teams and the rest would struggle in League 2 in England so keeping clean sheets against joke teams in the SPL and keeping clean sheets against Man Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, Spurs and so on will be a big step up for him it will be interesting to see how he does Having said what I said he will probably be MOM against us :( Edited August 8, 200717 yr by Vic Vega
Create an account or sign in to comment