Report: Chelsea makes 2nd approach for Celtic's Craig Gordon

Chelsea has submitted an improved £3.5-million bid for Celtic goalkeeper Craig Gordon, after an offer for an undisclosed amount was shunned by the Glaswegian outfit last week, reports BBC Sport's Chris McLaughlin.

Blues boss Antonio Conte said he would grant Bournemouth-linked Asmir Begovic a move away from Stamford Bridge if he could find a replacement, hence the increased efforts to bring in Scotland international Gordon with Tuesday's transfer deadline looming.

Gordon kept his fifth Scottish Premiership clean sheet of the season in Sunday's 4-0 defeat of Hearts, and the 34-year-old has been in impressive form this term.

"We don't want him to go. There's not a credible offer that would make us even consider it," said Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers after the weekend win.

"Our plan is to keep Craig here, to be very much a plan of what we're doing over the next few years. After this window shuts, him and his representatives will sit down and hopefully organise a new deal for him."

Gordon has appeared in the Premier League before, when Roy Keane parted with £9 million in 2007 to take him to Sunderland. That valuation made him the most expensively acquired goalkeeper in British football history at the time, but his stay on Wearside was hampered by unfortunate ankle, arm, and knee injuries.

He's been reborn in Parkhead, however, seeing off the challenge of Dutchman Dorus de Vries between the sticks to establish himself as the first-choice goalkeeper.