Craig Gordon has made just six appearances for Celtic this season

Celtic manager Neil Lennon is reluctant to lose goalkeeper Craig Gordon, who is a transfer target for Hearts.

The 37-year-old, out of contract this summer, is understood to be keen on a return to Tynecastle, where he started his career.

The Scotland international has started just one match in four months.

"Craig wants to play obviously with the Euros in mind, but he is such an important part of the squad that we don't want to let him go," said Lennon.

Lennon also dismissed as "nonsense" reports in France claiming that Olivier Ntcham was close to a move to West Ham.

The midfielder, 23, opened the scoring in Wednesday's 3-0 win at St Johnstone, with the manager saying he was "outstanding".

"There is a lot of speculation around him and you could see why," said Lennon. "He is not going anywhere.

"He is getting better and better as the season goes on. I'm a big fan of him. The last thing I want is good players going out of the door.

"If anything we want to bring players in - but that's a difficult thing to do. I had a joke with him after the game, saying: 'Did you do that for the cameras? Showing yourself out there'."

Gordon has been providing back up to first choice Fraser Forster at Celtic Park, with the last of his six appearances this season coming in the 2-0 Europa League dead-rubber defeat to Cluj in mid-December.

Hearts currently have three goalkeepers - Zdenek Zlamal, Joel Pereira, on-loan from Manchester United, and Colin Doyle - but manager Daniel Stendel is keen to add the experience of Gordon as the club attempt to climb off the bottom of the Scottish Premiership.

Gordon began his career at Tynecastle, making 176 appearances and helping the team to 2006 Scottish Cup success before joining Sunderland a year later for £9m - a then British record fee for a goalkeeper.

He has spent the last five-and-a-half years with Celtic, but lost his place to the currently injured Scott Bain for the second half of last season.