SUNDERLAND goalkeeper Craig Gordon would love to stay at the Stadium of Light – but concedes any prospective new deal Martin O’Neill might offer him depends on how quickly he gets fit.

The Scotland international arrived on Wearside in a £9million move from Scottish Premier League side Heart of Midlothian but has become the club’s forgotten man during this past year, having been forced on the sidelines with a knee injury.

Gordon has returned to training and has been involved with the reserves in a bid to get himself back to full fitness.

Normally an injured player’s rehabilitation takes as much time as it needs but in Gordon’s case there is a sense of urgency for both player and club.

The 28-year-old’s contract expires this summer which would leave him as a free agent open to offers from other clubs – in fact, he was available to talk to them once January kicked in.

Sunderland, too, will be mindful of this as they stand to risk a player whom they spent a large amount of money on leaving them for nothing.

The Wearsiders could prevent this by offering the player a new deal with a view to selling him on for a fee.

O’Neill has previously stated they could do this but does not want to take that chance on offering an injured player a new contract if he cannot be restored to full fitness.

As much as he would like his contract issue to be sorted out, Gordon admits he can see his manager’s point of view and knows it is up to him to get back to full fitness and prove to O’Neill he is worthy of a new deal. He said: “I have had a chat with Martin over mapping things out but he would not put down any time-frame and he left things very much up to myself.

“I know how I am feeling and how ready I am to play games, so he has left it entirely with me and we will take it from there.

“I am not looking beyond the end of this season.

“There is no long-term future beyond the next six months.

“It is just a matter of getting myself fit and seeing what happens from there.

“However, I would love to stay at Sunderland on a long-term basis.”

Gordon famously knocked back O’Neill when the Ulsterman was manager of Aston Villa to join Sunderland four years ago.

However, he insists that has nothing to do with a new contract not being placed on the table yet. He added: “It has been mentioned I turned down Aston Villa a few years ago in favour of Sunderland.

“Martin O’Neill was the boss at Villa, but thankfully I don’t think he is holding it against me. With the new manager having come in everyone is starting fresh here.

“I am just returning from injury so I would like to try and prove my worth and try to be kept on by him.

“Things look really bright for Sunderland and I would like to be part of the future here, but I am under no illusions I will have to prove myself all over again.”

Of his injury, Gordon can at last see light at the end of the tunnel.

He said: “It has been slow progress because of the nature of the injury.

“I am feeling all right and I am in a far happier place than I was when I was sidelined.”