NEIL LENNON is determined to get the versatile Nir Bitton tied down on a new contract before next month’s transfer window.
The Israeli international’s deal expires in June and Burnley have already been linked with a cut-price £1million move for the 28-year-old midfielder or central defender.
Lennon, who signed Bitton during his first reign in the Hoops hot-seat in 2013, insists the player has a future at the eight-in-a-row champions.
Bitton has made more than 200 appearances and has won 13 trophies in his time there, but, due to injury problems, he has only started 10 games out of 29 this season.
The Parkhead boss, speaking to the Sunday Mail, said: “We don’t want him to go, we want him to stay. So, talks are on-going.
“Do we want it sorted before January? Yeah. We don’t want him to run down his contract, for sure.
“He’s made indications he would like to stay and that’s what we want, too, so we’ll see how that pans out.
“Nir’s happy here and we’re hoping we’ll get a positive resolution to that as we go along.”
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