Finn Harps will rebuff any advances that may come for former Celtic star Paddy McCourt, who will remain at Finn Park for the rest of the season.
In the last fortnight, McCourt has been linked with a move to relegation rivals Sligo Rovers.
Rumours in McCourt’s home town of Derry strongly suggested that the player could have been on his way out of Finn Park but 33-year-old is set to see out the season at Harps.
Sligo boss Gerard Lyttle is a known admirer of McCourt and was been keen to lure the Northern Ireland international to the Showgrounds. It is believed that Sligo made tentative behind-the-scenes enquiries.
Sligo are in the relegation zone, two points behind Harps, who have a game in hand.
Harps manager Ollie Horgan would not comment directly on the Sligo speculation, but confirmed – four days before the transfer window closes on Monday – that McCourt is going nowhere.
“Paddy McCourt will be a Finn Harps player until the end of this season at least – after that, who knows?” Horgan said.
“Paddy is our player and he’s going nowhere. As it stands, he’s a Harps player and that’s how it will be, for this season anyway.”
McCourt has made 19 appearances – 15 of those in the starting XI – and has scored one goal, a free-kick in the 3-2 loss to Shamrock Rovers in March.
Horgan has spoken of McCourt’s influence in his squad during the season.
Earlier in the year, Horgan said of the ‘Derry Pele’: “I don’t think it was ever a gamble with the standards he’s brought in on the pitch, but to be fair to him, the standards he’s brought in off the pitch have been great as well.”
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