As reported by The Evening Times, Celtic goalkeeper Dorus De Vries has revealed he had offers to leave the club during the summer transfer window.

What's the story?

De Vries hasn't played much in Brendan Rodgers' first team since joining the club in 2016. Craig Gordon has been an almost permanent fixture between the sticks in that period, gaining plaudits for changing his goalkeeping style and maintaining his excellent shot stopping ability.

You may think that could have forced the Dutchman out of the club during the summer transfer window, but the 36-year-old has revealed he decided to stay after Rodgers convinced the goalkeeper his future was still in Glasgow.

As quoted by The Evening Times, De Vries said:

I spoke to Brendan over the summer and he told me that he wanted me to stay. He didn’t want me going anywhere else. I had offers from the English Premier League and from back home but it was the chance to go back to England that was interesting for me. However, the manager made it clear that he wanted me here and I was happy to remain. He is a quality coach and I have really enjoyed working with Stevie Woods and all the other technical guys. Craig and I have a good relationship.

While Craig Gordon has put the injury problems that have plagued his career behind him, it's still important for Celtic to have a quality back-up to give the veteran goalkeeper a break every now and then and De Vries can still perform to a high standard.

Surprise appearance

Dorus De Vries made something of a surprise appearance against Dundee in the Scottish Premiership just this Saturday. Craig Gordon isn't injured but he was rested for the game at Celtic Park ahead of tonight's UEFA Champions League match against Bayern Munich.

The Dutch goalkeeper put in a wonderful performance, making three excellent saves, one of which almost any goalkeeper would have been proud of. With the Hoops winning by just a single goal, it was a vital contribution and showed that if Gordon does ever get injured, Rodgers has a classy replacement to fit right in.

It's also a testament to the hard work that De Vries has put in behind the scenes to make sure he is able to step in at a moment's notice.

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