CRAIG GORDON has eyed up the Scotland No.1 shirt as he seeks to establish himself as Gordon Strachan’s first-choice goalkeeper.

The Celtic stopper has been in impressive form since arriving at Celtic last year and has shown the form that previously had him as the country’s first pick between the sticks.

And, with crucial European Championship qualifying games on the horizon, Gordon will seek to nail down that slot ahead of David Marshall and Allan McGregor.

“I’d like to play the best I can in the best competitions and try to make sure that I put myself in the shop window for trying to get back in the Scotland team and trying to qualify for the European Championships as well,” said Gordon.

“I’d like to try. So would the other guys. We are all vying for that same position. It’s up to me to play the best I possibly can and try to force my way in there.”

Playing in the group stages of the Uefa Champions League with Celtic this season would be a considerable step in showing that the keeper is capable of performing at the highest level.

While that remains high on Gordon’s agenda, he is wary of second-guessing Strachan.

“I don’t know the way Gordon Strachan picks his team and what he thinks about in terms of that and the opposition everyone is playing against, and whether that comes into his thinking,” said Gordon.

“That’s probably a question for him. But I want to play at the highest level and play the best I can and, if that results in me getting the Scotland No.1 jersey, then that’s what I would like to try and do.”

For now, though, Gordon is channeling all his positive energies into today’s Ladbrokes Premiership curtain-raiser against Ross County and Celtic’s tricky Champions League third-round, second-leg qualifier against Qarabag FK on Wednesday night.

Victory in Azerbaijan will take Celtic through to the the play-off – and 180 minutes from the lucrative group stages.

And Gordon acknowledges that he wants to star on that elite stage.

He said: “I try to play at the highest level I possibly can and try and help Celtic to qualify for the Cham-

pions League. We still have a very difficult second leg to come.

“I’ve not played at Champions League level and that’s still something I would like to do.”

And the goalkeeper has been delighted to extend his current deal with Celtic this week. He added: “It first came up towards the end of last season that the club were looking to extend my contract.

“I had a two-year contract with a year option and this is basically the same again.

“It took a bit of working out over the last few months, but in principle, it was agreed at the first meeting.

“It was just a case of the finer details getting sorted out but, for me, it was always going to happen.”

Meanwhile, Virgil van Dijk remains high on Everton’s wanted list, although Celtic remain adamant the player will not be allowed to leave before the Cham-pions League qualifiers.

Anthony Stokes, however, has been linked with Wigan, Hull and Sheffied Wednesday after being convinced that he does not have a part to play under Ronny Deila. The striker has one year remaining on a three-year deal.