Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
BRENDAN’S A BELE BUSTER
SUNDERLAND landed left-back Bryan Oviedo and midfielder
Darron Gibson in a joint £7.5million deal with Everton yesterday.
Injury-prone Gibson is on an 18-month contract, and Oviedo three-anda-half years.
Black Cats boss David Moyes said: “Every player coming in to Sunderland is a bit of a gamble.” CELTIC are set to boot out any deadline day bid from Chelsea for Moussa Dembele after Brendan Rodgers slammed the door on Craig Gordon’s move to Stamford Bridge.
The Scottish champions reacted cooly last night to reports which claimed Antonio Conte is considering a massive 11th hour bid for Dembele before the English transfer window closes at 11pm tonight.
It was even being Celtic had placed a £40m price tag on the head of the 20-year-old striker but sources at Parkhead were adamant that the player will not be leaving the club any time soon just six months after he arrived from Fulham.
And it’s a similar story for Scotland keeper Gordon (inset) who Rodgers says will be in goal to face Aberdeen at Celtic Park tomorrow - 24 hours after the January market has shut down.
The mega-rich Londoners are prepared to quadruple Gordon’s current Celtic wage packet from £12.5k per week to a staggering £50k, which is why the keeper has been so keen to be allowed to enter into signing talks.
But Celtic are set to counter that by doubling Gordon’s pay packet to £25k a week.
And with the window closing at midnight tonight, Rodgers has told the Blues to look elseclaimed where for a replacement for their back-up keeper Asmir Begovic who is heading to Bournemouth.
Stating categorically that the 34-year-old would not be leaving, the Celtic boss said: “Craig will be in goal on Wednesday night I guarantee you. So write that. That’s all you need to write. He will be in goal. End of story.”