STEVE Bruce is refusing to call a halt to Craig Gordon’s injury-hit Sunderland career, but admits he has no idea what the future holds for the Scottish goalkeeper.

The 28-year-old is recovering from knee surgery and will not feature in Monday’s televised trip to Norwich City. While on the sidelines, Gordon has lost his status as the Black Cats’ undisputed first choice.

Uncertainty over his fitness caused manager Bruce to sign Keiren Westwood this summer, only adding to doubts about his future. With his contract due to expire in June, allowing him to leave on a free transfer, Gordon’s time at the Stadium of Light could be drawing to an end.

Bruce, though, sees little point in writing off a goalkeeper who, until David de Gea’s summer move from Atlético Madrid to Manchester United, was the most expensive in British football history.

“He had a bit of a reaction ten days ago, but it was nothing too serious,” Bruce confirmed. “He’s still on course to play some sort of part in the next four weeks or so. By the end of October, he should be there or thereabouts.

“In terms of his future, the big thing is getting him on the pitch. I haven’t shut the door on him here. Why should I?

“It’s a horrible dilemma we face as a club, because we paid £9m for him, but he’s probably been injured for two of the four years he’s been here. That’s a big problem for us.

“We hope he has the resilience to get back. I certainly think he has.”

Gordon broke his arm in a challenge with Tottenham Hotspur’s Jermain Defoe in November 2009. He returned and had a further operation in the summer, but suffered a pre-season recurrence. In February, he did what proved to be anterior cruciate ligament damage, and after weeks of management to avert it, eventually succumbed to surgery. Gordon has made 94 Sunderland appearances since joining from Heart of Midlothian in August 2007.

The Black Cats were due to open contract negotiations this summer. But having been handicapped throughout his Wearside career by unwanted players tied to expensive, lengthy contracts, Bruce felt he could not risk Gordon becoming another.

“If he gets himself back on the pitch, we can address the situation from there,” he said. “At the moment, I really don’t think I can be starting contract negotiations. If I’m being honest with him, I’m not in that position yet and we won’t be until we see him back fit.” Bruce could find it hard justifying three international goalkeepers on the wage bill – Simon Mignolet plays for Belgium and Westwood is No 2 for the Republic of Ireland.

Sunderland hope to soon offload Nyron Nosworthy to Milton Keynes Dons, but cutting ties will be expensive. Lucrative wages are making it hard to find Football League clubs prepared to take Nosworthy and fellow outcast Matt Kilgallon on loan. League One MK have expressed interest in the centre-back but could not come close to matching his wages.

Meanwhile, Bruce has shrugged off the pressure he was under before Sunday’s first win this season, at home to Stoke City, arguing it affected others more.

“It’s certainly been a bit easier this week,” he said. “Hurt is the wrong word. I get disappointed for the people around me, who care a bit about me. It hurts them more than it hurts me. I’ve been in this for a long time and it becomes water off a duck’s back.

“I couldn’t quite get to grips with the intensity of it so soon into the season, but there you go.”

Phil Bardsley, Nicklas Bendtner, Ji Dong-Won, John O’Shea, Stéphane Sessègnon, David Vaughan, Mignolet and Westwood have been called up by their countries for the October international break, which follows next week’s visit of West Bromwich Albion.