CELTIC could be about to lose out to Feyenoord in the battle to make John Guidetti a permanent signing.

 

The Swedish striker has been quoted in Holland as saying he wants to return to the Rotterdam club where he had huge success on loan three years ago.

After scoring 20 goals in 23 appearances - including a hat-trick against Ajax - a serious illness brought that spell to an abrupt end.

Feyenoord tried to recruit Guidetti again last summer, only for doubts over his fitness to cause them to pull out.

His parent club, Manchester City, then agreed he should join Celtic for a year.

As part of that deal, the Hoops agreed a fee to sign the 22-year-old on a permanent contract.

But, despite repeated attempts, they have failed to persuade Guidetti to put pen to paper.

He has struggled to maintain the strike rate he enjoyed when he came into Ronny Deila's side, and has lost his starting position to Leigh Griffiths.

Now his interview with a Dutch TV station appears to indicate that, when he becomes a free agent in the summer, Feyenoord would be his preferred destination.

When asked if he would like to go back to the club where he is still idolised, Guidetti is quoted as saying: "Nothing better than that.

"I want to go back to Feyenoord, and perhaps as soon as possible."

While Guidetti's future could lie elsewhere, Deila is adamant Craig Gordon should not even consider becoming a Chelsea pensioner.

The Hoops No.1 is on a list of possible replacements for Petr Cech at Stamford Bridge.

But having watched Gordon re-invent himself after two years out of the game with a serious knee injury, Deila does not believe the 32 year-old would be prepared to see out his time as back up to Chelsea first-choice, Thibaut Courtois, who is 10 years his younger.

As he revealed in SportsTimes last month, Deila wants Gordon to end his career at Parkhead, and that means extending the contract which has 16 months to run, with the Hoops holding a further year's option.

Gordon's predecessor, Fraser Forster, went south for £10million.

But Deila will not even think about how much the man who was sold by Hearts to Sunderland for £9m in 2007 might now be worth.

"I can't sell him," insisted the manager. I don't want to.

"I want him here for the rest of his career. Hopefully, that can happen.

"I think he's a great goalkeeper, and he's a man we want to keep at the club.

"We will do everything to keep him here.

"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 and be with Celtic."

Gordon had previously intimated he felt he had unfinished business in England after the way injury forced his career to fizzle out at Sunderland.

But, he is also very mindful of the support he has had since Celtic took the gamble in handing him a way back into the game last summer.

And Deila reckons this could play a huge part in any decision Gordon had to make, should a big bid come in.

Chelsea could offer much more money, but losing his No.1 spot would be much less appealing.

Deila said: "It would be a shame, but I don't think he wants to do that .

"He wants to play football until the end of his career - and we want him to stay here.

"There will be clubs interested if he wants to go, but we want to keep him."

Gordon will look for another clean sheet tonight when the Hoops play St Johnstone, the only Scottish team to score against him this year.

But Emilio Izaguirre will again be missing with the finger fracture picked up in the San Siro last week.

Deila explained: "Izaguirre is out, even though he wants to play. We don't take any chances with him.

"If he gets injured again, they may need to operate, and we don't want that.

"Kris Commons won't make this game, either, but he should be okay for Sunday. It's just a nerve injury.

"Stuart Armstrong will be okay for this game. It was cramp on Sunday. It was a sign he's not strong enough yet."

RONNY DEILA is adamant Craig Gordon should not even consider becoming a Chelsea pensioner.

The Hoops No.1 is on a list of possible replacements for Petr Cech at Stamford Bridge.

But having watched Gordon re-invent himself after two years out of the game with a serious knee injury, Deila does not believe the 32-year-old would be prepared to see out his time as back-up to Chelsea first-choice, Thibaut Courtois, who is 10 years his younger.

As he revealed in SportsTimes last month, Deila wants Gordon to end his career at Parkhead, and that means extending the contract which has 16 months to run, with the Hoops holding a further year's option.

Gordon's predecessor, Fraser Forster, went south for £10million.

But Deila will not even think about how much the man who was sold by Hearts to Sunderland for £9m in 2007 might now be worth.

"I can't sell him," insisted the manager. "I don't want to.

"I want him here for the rest of his career. Hopefully, that can happen.

"I think he's a great goalkeeper, and he's a man we want to keep at the club.

"We will do everything to keep him here.

"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 and be with Celtic."

Gordon had previously intimated he felt he had unfinished business in England after the way injury forced his career to fizzle out at Sunderland.

But he is also very mindful of the support he has had since Celtic took the gamble in handing him a way back into the game last summer.

And Deila reckons this could play a huge part in any decision Gordon had to make, should a big bid come in.

Chelsea could offer much more money, but losing his No.1 spot would be much less appealing.

Deila said: "It would be a shame, but I don't think he wants to do that .

"He wants to play football until the end of his career - and we want him to stay here.

"There will be clubs interested if he wants to go, but we want to keep him."

Gordon will look for another clean sheet tonight when the Hoops play St Johnstone, the only Scottish team to score against him this year.

But Emilio Izaguirre will again be missing with the finger fracture picked up in the San Siro last week.

Deila explained: "Izaguirre is out, even though he wants to play. We don't take any chances with him.

"If he gets injured again, they may need to operate, and we don't want that.

"Kris Commons won't make this game, either, but he should be okay for Sunday. It's just a nerve injury.

"Stuart Armstrong will be okay for this game. It was cramp on Sunday. It was a sign he's not strong enough yet."