Striker John Hartson will not quit Celtic this summer, the player’s agent claimed today.

After seeing Chris Sutton leave for Birmingham and manager Gordon Strachan admitting Stilian Petrov could leave, it is said Hartson might return to England to be closer to his children.

But the 30-year-old Welsh international signed a contract extension last season, which ties him to the club until May 2007, and his his agent Jonathan Barnett laughed off talk of his departure.

He said: "I will be amazed if ever the press tells the truth. They should just all concentrate on writing children's books because they know nothing.

"He has two years left on his contract after signing a new deal and he is fine at Celtic. All I can tell you is people make up their own stories instead of trying to find out the truth."