Celtic playmaker Lubomir Moravcik will sign a new one-year deal with the champions, according to manager Martin O'Neill.
The Slovak's current contract expires this summer and he was expected to hang up his boots.
But the lure of next season's Champions League is proving too strong and Moravcik looks set to delay his retirement.
Moravcik has ambitions to move into coaching when his playing days are over and the Parkhead club have agreed to a clause in his contract thatwill allow him to leave if a coaching job comes up.
"This seems to be dragging on, but we are pretty close to drawing up a deal with him for another year - all things being well," said O'Neill.
"I have said to him that I'll give him a new deal at any given time, but preferably not in June.
"He wants to become a coach and he has mentioned that if some good coaching job comes open to him then he would like to take it.
"I've told him that there would be no problem terminating his contract and an extra year would be mutually beneficial to both of us.
"He is fit and if he makes the same sort of impact as he has this year then it will be worthwhile, but he will definitely sign a deal for another year." PA