Larsson will not be short of offers: O'Neill

Celtic manager Martin O’Neill predicts Henrik Larsson will be inundated with offers from some of Europe’s top clubs.

The prolific striker, who will leave Parkhead at the end of his contract this summer, revealed yesterday that there have been no approaches for his signature.

Larsson has his heart set on a move to Spain’s La Liga, and his manager has told him not to worry.

“I don’t think that he will have a problem,” said O’Neill.

“I’m sure that there will be umpteen clubs towards the end of the season who will be delighted to take him on.

“He has the fitness and the desire to play two more years in top-level football.”

Larsson does not want to join a club fighting relegation from La Liga – but he does not expect one of the side’s participating in the Champions League to come knocking either.

“My wish was to go to Spain, which would be lovely,” he said.

“Obviously I wouldn’t like to go to a team that is fighting with relegation. I would like to go somewhere warm.

“But nothing has happened. I haven’t been to London, Barcelona, Newcastle or anywhere to discuss anything.

“I’m not in a hurry. If something comes up then great.”

Larsson has even threatened to return home to Sweden if no lucrative offer is forthcoming.

“If nothing comes up that I really fancy then I can’t really commit to it, so there’s no point going through with it,” explained the former international striker.

“It would be better going home to play football at a lower level and train less and be able to do other things.”

O’Neill, meanwhile, has told rejuvenated defender Stanislav Varga that he wants him to commit to a longer contract than the original one-year deal which was planned.

The former Sunderland man is expected to sign terms next week, but the contract is set to be longer than first thought.

O’Neill said: “Stan’s contract automatically kicks in, and I will be sitting down with his agent next week.

“He has done wonderfully well this season, and the way he’s playing there is certainly every possibility we could extend it even further than the year we initially had in mind.”

Old Firm rivals Celtic and Rangers face tricky Tennent’s Scottish Cup fourth-round tests this weekend – at Hearts and Kilmarnock respectively.

The Livingston players, who have this week gone into administration, travel to non-league Spartans – knowing it could be their final game for the club before being sacked.

Bank of Scotland Premier League Motherwell will also be hoping to avoid a shock at home to Queen of the South.