Sunderland break record for Gordon

Heart of Midlothian FC captain Craig Gordon has joined Premier League newcomers Sunderland AFC for €13.25m, a deal which makes him the most expensive Scottish player ever and the most expensive goalkeeper in British history.

'Massive asset'
The Scotland No1 completed the move today after passing a medical last night with Sunderland agreeing to pay Hearts €10.25m in advance with a further €3m to follow as Gordon's career progresses. "I'm delighted that we've managed to sign Craig," said Sunderland manager Roy Keane. "He's a top goalkeeper and he'll be a massive asset for us over the next few years."

Record fee
The previous British record for a goalkeeper was the €11.5m paid by Manchester United FC when they signed Fabien Barthez from AS Monaco FC in 2000. The 24-year-old's switch to the Stadium of Light also makes him the most expensive Scottish player to play in England, surpassing the €11m transfer of Barry Ferguson from Rangers FC to Blackburn FC in 2003.

McLeish praise
Gordon, who has 23 caps for Scotland, had also been a target for Aston Villa FC but was convinced to sign for the Black Cats following a day of talks with Keane and could make his debut against Tottenham Hotspur FC on Saturday. Gordon has been first-choice at Hearts, his only club, for the past four seasons. Scotland manager Alex McLeish has welcomed Gordon's move to Sunderland and is convinced the former Hearts custodian could challenge Manchester United's Edwin van der Sar and Petr Čech of Chelsea FC for the title of best goalkeeper in England.

'Next level'
"If he is as consistent as he was in the SPL and as a national keeper, he will be highly rated among the top goalkeepers in the Premiership," said McLeish. "He's a terrific goalkeeper. He's cool and I like his temperament. He has handled some tricky situations in his Hearts career and that is a sign of maturity for such a young guy. He is now at an age where he has to go to the next level. He's a proven international and will benefit greatly from playing against some of the best players in world football."