Ronny Deila has described Craig Gordon as his best ever signing.

The Celtic and Scotland stopper marked his outing at Hampden on Scotland duty this week by making his 100th appearance since returning from long-term injury and Deila believes that the keeper’s professionalism is an inspiration.

“It would be very hard to get anything better because he has played every week and down a fantastic job but didn’t cost us any money,” smiled Deila. “That is a good signing! It is possible but it is about timing and keeping your eyes open so that was a very good signing.”

Gordon had an outstanding campaign last term but hasn’t quite maintained that same level of form this season.

However, Deila believes that the keeper is one of the most vital cogs in his squad.

“He had a fantastic season last year and set a new record in Scottish football in not conceding goals,” explained the Celtic manager. “He is a totally professional player – he does everything perfectly outside the pitch and also on the pitch. He is also open to learning new things and he is a role model to the other players, especially because he has been through such tough times himself as a player. “You appreciate it more then rather than the players that have been in all the time and haven’t had the hard times. He has played almost every game this year. There are only two games he hasn’t played and that was just precautions, just not wanting to take any chances with him. He is a very important player for us.

“If you have a good goalkeeper and a goalscorer then you can go far. You can play as much as you want out on the pitch but if you don’t put the ball in the goal or if you don’t have a goalkeeper who saves balls when they need to then you will drop points. In that aspect he has been very important. We have conceded very few goals lately – I think in the last seven games we have kept five clean sheets – so that is a good thing.”

Meanwhile, Deila has hinted that deal for Aussie internationalist Tom Rogic could be imminent, although the Hoops boss insisted that he wants to concentrate on the forthcoming league games before looking at the contract issues of either the midfielder or of Charlie Mulgrew, who is also out of contract this summer.

“It’s just the same,” said Deila regarding Rogic’s situation. “But I think the message is very clear that is really a player we want to sign. He wants to stay as well, so hopefully this is something which should happen quite soon.

“I have said all the time that Charlie is a good football player. He’s an experienced player, he has qualities that we need in our team. What we need to see now is that he can keep that consistency in playing, and not only in three or four games but over longer periods. He has played a lot of games in these two weeks and that’s good, he’s getting better and better and looking sharper and sharper so that’s good. That’s a positive thing.

“I think both parties are thinking about it [new contract]. It’s important now to concentrate on the games. He’s not a 20-year-old boy that everybody is chasing at the moment but we know also that he is a very important player for us so we will see what happens now.”

Mulgrew’s hand is perhaps enhanced going into contract talks given the situation of Jozo Simunovic.

The Croatian under-21 internationalist has been ruled out for the remainder of the season and could face a fight to be ready for this summer UEFA Champions League qualifiers.

Simunovic broke down in training last week after coming back from a broken bone in his knee, and the decision was taken to correct the problem through surgery.

“He has some problems with the menisci, “explained Deila. “We have dealt with that now so we have to see how it’s going. The plan is to get him back for pre-season, but this season is gone.

“He had a small operation and he’s going to be four weeks totally calm and then build himself up from there. The defender underwent an operation last week to correct a problem with his knee but And Deila refuted the suggestion that the £5.5m signing should have been operated on when the injury first appeared.

“No, we had him at the best specialist in the world so we had a good assessment of him and that was not the case,” he said. “This is something which came after it.”