O’Neill ‘too busy’ to talk about Hartson contract

CELTIC manager Martin O’Neill yesterday told John Hartson’s agent he was too busy to open contract talks at the moment and would do it as soon as he has time.

The Welsh striker’s representative Jonathan Barnett warned this week that a clutch of Barclays Premiership clubs - including Mark Hughes’ Blackburn - are desperate to sign him.

Hartson, Neil Lennon and Bobo Balde are the high-profile players with less than a year left on their contracts.