HeartsandDons must do swoops for their Hoops

THE old adage says you should never go back in football.

But for Craig Gordon and Jonny Hayes going back to the future might just prove to be the best pieces of transfer business this summer.

Or to be more precise – for Hearts and Aberdeen it could be the deals that smash the window.

The duo may only have been bit part players in Celtic’s nine-ina-row campaign but that’s exactly why the decisions facing both men ahead of what could be the last significant move of their careers is so important.

For Gordon does he stick or twist? Celtic would like the veteran keeper to hang about for another year but Neil Lennon has made no secret of his desire to bring back Fraser Forster.

Gordon was cruelly deprived two years of his career when he should have been in his pomp.

Injury didn’t just end his Premier League dream at Sunderland, it also cost him the chance to swell his Scotland cap collection. And considering he’s already the country’s second most capped keeper with 54 appearances, it just proves the heights Gordon has hit in his brilliant career.

The 37-year-old has more silverware than John Lewis but probably has just one last chance to reach a major finals with Scotland.

For that to happen he needs games and a return to where it all started at Hearts would provide that.

It looks increasingly likely it may be in the second tier but Gordon playing regularly and in form would be almost impossible for Steve Clarke to ignore.

St Mirren have also made their move and their offer of Premiership football could be the biggest obstacle for the Gorgie club in their hopes of landing him.

But make no mistake if the Jambos would be a good fit for Gordon then the keeper would be the perfect fit for Hearts.

Bobby Zlamal, Colin Doyle and Joel Pereira all fell short in the Tynecastle No.1 shirt last season.

Four clean sheets in 30 league games was relegation form. But Gordon – who holds the record for most shutouts in one season at Celtic – would go a long way to solving that.

All good rebuilds start at the back. And that’s why Gordon should be top of Hearts’ shopping list.

Which is exactly where Hayes sits on Aberdeen’s table of transfer targets.

H&M is on Derek

For Hayes and Gordon going back to the future may be best business in the window

McInnes’ mind as the Dons boss looks to relaunch the Hayes and McGinn partnership.

If Hearts need to shut the door at the back then Aberdeen need to unlock it in attack after a campaign in which they posted only the sixth best goalscoring return in the top flight.

The chance to field Hayes and McGinn either side of Sam Cosgrove would strike fear into even the most steadfast defences.

As Record Sport revealed today this one isn’t a mile away from being done.

If it goes through as the only business concluded in the northeast this summer then the Red Army should be content with that.