KRIS COMMONS reckons Celtic have made a "major mistake" by not offering Craig Gordon an improved contract to stay at Parkhead.

The Scotland international goalkeeper yesterday announced he would be leaving the Hoops after failing to agree a new deal.

The 37-year-old had previously told how the club had offered him a contract on vastly reduced terms to stay for their 10-in-a-row bid.

And ex-Celtic star Commons believes this was a huge error.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, he said: "Celtic have made a major mistake in effectively forcing Craig Gordon out of the club.

"And, even if they now pull off a master stroke by landing Fraser Forster, they could pay a heavy price for this disastrous misjudgment.

"Would you put your hat on Scott Bain helping Celtic to ten in a row? Because it may come to that.

"I believe they're getting close to signing Forster. But they should have made a bigger effort to hold on to Gordon.

"I was really angered by Gordon being offered reduced terms. He's 37, not 45, and he's been one of the best if not the best — goalkeepers in Scotland over the past decade.

"If Celtic had been definitively ruled out of the running for Forster, I wouldn't have had any hesitation in handing him the No 1 jersey.

"He clearly feels he needs first-team football to reclaim his Scotland place and, if Forster is coming back, he won't get much of that at Celtic Park.

"But what happens if, over the coming days, Celtic lose out on their No 1 target? If it's about money, Chelsea can offer Forster four times the wages available at Scotland's richest club.

"Gordon's departure now makes it more important than ever that Celtic push the boat out to get Forster back.

"For me, it's just typical Celtic. They've always had this knack of trying to get players as cheap as possible, without bursting the bank.

"When you're on the verge of ten in a row, you have to go that extra yard."