Derby County are the

latest club to be linked with out-of-contract Scotland internationalist Craig Gordon.

The Sky Bet Championship side are in the market for a goalkeeper as Ben Hamer’s season-long loan deal from Huddersfield nears its conclusion.

Hamer was signed as cover after experienced England internationalist Scott Carson had headed to the Etihad in a season-long loan deal with Manchester City last August.

Pep Guardiola is believed to want to keep Carson for another term, leaving Philip Cocu’s Derby side with a goalkeeping problem.

The 37-year-old Scotland internationalist has spent six years at Celtic but went public this week with his criticisms that there have been no further discussions with the Parkhead side after he rejected a new contract on reduced terms.

Gordon claimed that there was an “enormous gap” between his expectations and what Celtic had offered

and while he claimed that

the door was still open it is unlikely that common ground will be found now between both parties.

In any case, the understanding is that key for Gordon is regular first-team football. The goalkeeper has made just six appearances for Celtic since December 2018 after losing his place firstly to Scott Bain in the latter months of Brendan Rodgers’ reign and then to on-loan signing Fraser Forster this season under current manager Neil Lennon, who re-signed the England internationalist on loan from Southampton.

The 37-year-old’s last appearance for the Parkhead side was a Europa League defeat to CFR Cluj in December after Lennon’s side had already secured their passage into the knockout stages of the competition.

Hearts, where Gordon began his senior career before his £9m move to Sunderland in 2007, remain the favourites to sign the keeper who has also knocked back an offer from Jim Goodwin’s St Mirren side.

However, it is understood that with uncertainty about Tynecastle in terms of whether they will be playing in the top flight or the Championship next season and financial issues remaining with playing staff still taking reduced payments, there could be consideration given to other clubs.

Hearts are believed to offered a two-year deal with the offer a 12-month extension, while there would also be scope for Gordon to work towards his coaching qualifications.