Hearts reject Celtic Hartley bid

Celtic have had a £200,000 (€288,000) bid for Hearts midfielder Paul Hartley rejected.

The well-travelled 28-year-old is enjoying the best season of his career and has also broken into the Scotland B team.

Hearts head coach John Robertson has already seen striker Mark de Vries and defender Alan Maybury leave for Leicester this month and midfielder Patrick Kisnorbo set up a summer move to the English club.

But the trio were all out of contract in the summer whereas Hartley has 18 months of his current deal still to run.

As a result the Edinburgh outfit has told the Hoops they must up their offer if they want to do business before the transfer window closes in a few days time.

A Tynecastle spokesman confirmed a £200,000 (€288,000) bid had been lodged earlier today.

He added: “It will not even be considered by the board because it falls so short of the club’s valuation of the player.”

Celtic manager Martin O‘Neill could sweeten the deal by offering striker David Fernandez in part-exchange, however.

The Spaniard is out of favour at Parkhead but is still remembered fondly at Livingston, where he played under Robertson when the Hearts boss was a coach there.

As far as a straight cash deal goes, Hearts are understood to be looking for a figure of at least £350,000 (€503,900).