Craig Gordon: Hearts goalkeeper extends contract at Tynecastle until 2024 | Football News

Craig Gordon has signed a new two-and-a-half-year contract with Hearts aged 39.

The club captain and Scotland No 1 will remain at Tynecastle until 2024, and wants to help Hearts secure European football for next season.

Gordon has had 11 clean sheets in 25 appearances for the club so far this term with the Jambos third in the Scottish Premiership, 15 points behind league leaders Rangers.

The ‘keeper has featured 177 times across two spells for his boyhood club and upon his return to Edinburgh in 2020, he was instrumental in helping them reach the Scottish Cup final that year and claim promotion back to the top-flight last season.

His 64th cap for the national team against Denmark in October in a 2-0 win made the veteran shot-stopper Hearts’ most-capped player for Scotland.

The goalkeeper said: “These things always tend to take a bit of time but there’s no question that this is what I wanted.

“Since I returned to the club the ambition was to first of all progress from the Championship and then regularly sustain challenges at the top end of the Premiership.

“We’ve done that so far this season and want to continue that and consistently be successful in the years to come. I want to be a part of that and I’m very happy to stay and give another two years towards making Hearts as successful as we possibly can.

“I always set myself goals and I’ll be working as hard as I can to help push everyone on and set the standards required for us to be successful.

“We’re in a good position currently, five points clear in third. We must make sure we keep that gap and what we’re looking for now is to push on and get that European spot. There’s a lot of hard work yet to be done.

“I feel good physically, I’ve been injury-free since returning to Hearts and been able to work hard as a result. I’ve been happy with how I’ve been playing and I need to maintain those levels.

“I almost didn’t want that break to come to be honest but I’ve played a lot of games since returning so I should take the break and then come back ready for the second half of the season.”

Manager Robbie Nielson added: “I’m really happy that Craig has committed his future to the club.

“He’s been such an important part of the journey we started last season and the exciting thing is that we’ve only just started so to have Craig with us on it is great news.

“I’ve said it many times but he makes the sublime look easy and I now just expect him to make saves, no matter how ridiculous they are. He is a world class goalkeeper and we’re lucky to have him.”