Soccer Shorts: Celtic supporters were given a glimmer of hope last night that John Hartson might stay at Parkhead.
The Welsh international's agent, Jonathan Barnett, has been locked in meetings with manager Martin O'Neill and directors in Glasgow yesterday and left making encouraging signals.
Barnett said: "I have been speaking to various people at Celtic and all I will say is that we have had a very, very good meeting.
"There's nothing concrete at this moment. We had a very good talk with the people at the club about John's contract and there are more discussions and decisions to be made but I don't want to say much more about them."
The former Arsenal, West Ham, Coventry and Wimbledon striker wants a three-year contract to finish his career with the Scottish Premier League champions but a number of clubs, including Hertha Berlin, are waiting in the wings.
Barnett was giving very little away about other interested parties adding: "I don't want to say too much about that."
Mokoena's grown up
South Africa's captain Aaron Mokoena believes he can adjust quickly to life at Blackburn Rovers after a seven-year spell in Holland and Belgium.
The 24-year-old defender is due to arrive next week from Genk in a £600,000 deal following a successful trial spell.
Mokoena left his homeland at 17 to join Ajax Amsterdam before moving to Germinal Beerschot in Belgium.
He now feels he is ready for England's top flight after securing a two-and-a-half-year deal.
"For South Africans going into the Premiership it can be hectic and really difficult. But I've been in Europe for a while and picked up a lot of experience, " he said.
"I've grown up as a footballer and this is part of my progression."
Savage left helpless
Robbie Savage yesterday admitted his proposed switch to Blackburn was a non-starter unless Rovers increased their offer.
The Wales midfielder was outstanding in Birmingham's victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage yesterday and City have already rejected Rovers' initial bid of £2million.
Birmingham value Savage at around £3.5 million and are now waiting to see if Rovers will meet their asking price with a renewed offer in the next few days.
Savage now accepts that his future lies in the hands of the money men at Ewood Park and admitted that the whole situation had left him in emotional turmoil.
Savage declared: "The speculation is always there and my head has been in turmoil in the past four or five weeks.
"Hopefully, it shows how professional I've been with the performances I'm still putting in.
"Now Birmingham hold all the cards. I'm their player. They've turned down a bid and unless Blackburn come in with more money, that's the end of it."
Johnston staying put
Iain Dowie has re-assured Crystal Palace fans he has no intention of selling Andrew Johnson during the transfer window. The 23-year-old took his goal tally into double figures for the season with the equaliser in Tuesday's 1-1 draw away to Tottenham.
"This season is a vital season - we need all of our top players," insisted the Palace boss. "For me Andy Johnson, along with a few others, they are the future of the club."
Mourinho stirs it up
Jose Mourinho has stirred up another likely war of words with his rivals by telling Arsenal they are being given an easier ride than Chelsea in the Premiership title race by television scheduling.
The Chelsea manager is unhappy that second-placed Arsenal had an extra day's rest than his own players over the crowded holiday period. Chelsea snatched two late goals on Tuesday to win at Portsmouth a while Arsenal played Newcastle last night.
Mourinho, who had complained bitterly after his team narrowly beat Aston Villa on Sunday that two games in three days are bad for the health, said: "They (Arsenal) always seem to have two days or three days in which to recover from matches.
"Perhaps it is something to do with the TV schedules. They had the same on Boxing Day."
Arsenal, in fact, had one day less to prepare for their Christmas holiday fixtures, having met Portsmouth at Fratton Park the previous Sunday after Chelsea had moved eight points ahead 24 hours earlier with a 4-0 trouncing of Norwich.
In brief . . .
Everton's Nigel Martyn will miss up to six weeks after sustaining a calf injury at Charlton. The 38-year-old former England goalkeeper was hurt in the warm-up and, having started the game, was withdrawn just before half-time with Richard Wright making his first Premiership appearance of the season. . . Leeds United have rejected Liverpool's £250,000 bid for their 19-year-old goalkeeper Scott Carson. Chelsea have also expressed an interest in the England under-21 international, who was the subject of a £400,000 bid from the Championship side Wigan Athletic earlier this month, though Leeds are hoping to raise nearer £1 million for the youth-team graduate . . . Ukraine and AC Milan striker Andriy Shevchenko has been voted top player in the former Soviet Union in a poll conducted by Russian daily Sport-Express . . . And finally, despite saying on Tuesday that he has retired from playing soccer, former Brazil striker Romario claimed yesterday he was considering a return to the first club he played professionally for, Vasco da Gama.
