News: Barcelona have revealed they may sign Henrik Larsson from Celtic when the celebrated Swedish striker leaves Scottish football at the end of the season.
Two days before the resurgent Catalan club confront Larsson at Parkhead in the UEFA Cup fourth round first leg, Barcelona's vice-president Sandro Rossell confirmed their long-term interest and added that they were closely monitoring his position.
"Yes, he is a player we like a lot but we will just have to wait and see what the summer brings," said Rossell. "Without a doubt he is Celtic's most dangerous player.
"We can't make a move for him at the moment but it is a possibility in the summer. No one seems to know where Larsson wants to go but we are keeping a close eye on the situation."
The 32-year-old Larsson has said he will move to the continent, hinting he would prefer a Mediterranean country, with Spain his first choice, when he ends his highly successful seven-year spell at Celtic this summer.
Larsson, having called time on his international career after winning 72 caps - and since then rejecting pleas to return for Sweden in Euro 2004 - now realises that the UEFA Cup is effectively a multinational shop window for his talents.
Whatever Celtic's fate in the tournament, however, his record as a striker who has delivered 229 goals demonstrates his value since joining from Feyenoord for £650,000 in 1997.
Celtic were yesterday more concerned about Larsson's fellow striker Chris Sutton as Martin O'Neill pondered his threadbare attacking options against Barcelona for tomorrow's game, which will be shown live on TG4 from 7.55 p.m.
With John Hartson out for the rest of the season after back surgery and Shaun Maloney injured, O'Neill said he would give Sutton until the last moment to declare himself fit.
Sutton has a trapped nerve which has led to a loss of feeling around the lower leg. After Sunday's Scottish Cup win over Rangers, which he missed, he has done only light exercises.
Given his ability and European experience, Celtic would certainly miss Sutton if he fails to make tomorrow's match. While O'Neill spoke buoyantly about the performance on Sunday of striker Craig Beattie, he would have doubts about pitching the 20-year-old in at the start.
If Sutton does not make the game, O'Neill will probably go with the team which began against Rangers, with Stilian Petrov pushing up to play just behind the Swede.
O'Neill, of course, has also to consider Celtic's defensive task, which means stopping world-class players like Ronaldinho and Patrick Kluivert in their tracks as Barcelona search for an away goal. Frank Rijkaard's team have won their last nine games, seven in the Spanish League on top of beating Brondby in each leg of their last UEFA Cup tie.
Celtic's have a fearsome home record, which now stretches to 73 unbeaten games in all competitions, that gives the Scottish champions-elect hope that Barcelona can be beaten.
Celtic have not lost at Parkhead since August 2001, when Ajax won a Champions League qualifier there.
The Scottish club are trying to get more more tickets for their fans for the second leg in Barcelona in two weeks' time, after being given an official allocation of only 3,600 at the Nou Camp.
A further 4,000 tickets will be on sale at the 95,000-capacity stadium on the day but around 20,000 fans are expected to make the trip to Spain.
Meanwhile, Hartson received a vote of confidence from O'Neill as the Wales striker recovers from his second back operation in less than a year. Last season it forced him to miss the UEFA Cup final, which Celtic lost by a silver goal to Porto.
O'Neill said: "He has a chance to get himself absolutely right and has still got years ahead of him in the game. But we will miss him from here on in, which will be apparent in the months to come."
Hartson, 29 next month, is now targeting Celtic's summer tour of the United States for a comeback.
l Guardian Service
