OLI AND GORD ARE GOING NOWHERE

FROM BACK PAGE showed no signs of being affected as the French ace responded in sparkling fashion with a superb headed opener in his team’s thumping win at McDiarmid Park.

The Hoops manager was thrilled with the playmaker’s performance in the side’s powerpacked Perth show and said: “He’s not going anywhere.

“The last thing I want is good players going out the door. If anything I want to get players in but it’s a tough thing to do.

“I had a joke with Olivier after the game asking him if he was doing that for the cameras, putting himself out there.

“He’s played so well for me and I thought he was terrific. Not just his goal but his all-round game. As far as I’m concerned, he’s not going anywhere.”

Gordon is desperate for game time as he eyes the Scotland squad for the Euro 2020 play-offs with Hearts interested in offering a return to Tynecastle.

But Lennon is adamant that, while he’s sympathetic to the keeper’s wishes, the 37-year-old is needed at Parkhead as key back-up to Fraser Forster.

He said: “Craig wants to play, obviously with the Euros in mind. But he’s such an important part of the squad here that we don’t want to let him go.”

Lennon, meanwhile, also admitted there may be no more arrivals before the window shuts.

The manager has added Patryk Klimala and Ismaila Soro to the ranks this month and, when asked if the signings were done, he said: “Probably. You never say never but it’s a very difficult time so there’s no guarantees either way. We’ll see.”