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Leeds United Elland Road manager Gary McAllister is offering over £700,000 up front for former Hibs star Derek Riordan, who is currently bench-warming at Celtic Park.

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Derek featured in just eleven games in all competitions for Celtic last season, whereas at Hibs he was a virtual-ever present in the first team, scoring a nearly a goal every two games in the SPL.

It is reported that Celtic want £1m for Riordan whom they signed on a free transfer. Riordan was a hot property two years ago when he signed but having started him in just fifteen games in two season they have devalued their property badly.

Burnley are also being linked to Riordan in the Scottish media but there is little evidence from Turf Moor itself - the rumour seems based mainly on the making of a failed £400,000 bid for Riordan last season. But it is highly unlikely that Burnely see a player who didn’t make a dozen outings last season as even more valuable now!

McAllister sees fellow-Scot Riordan as someone who could set League One alight next season, following the desultory finish to the campaign from Beckford and Kandol, just as Scot Dougie Freedman did at the end of the season. However, at 25 years of age Derek is nine years younger than Freedman but much more experienced than Kandol or Beckford.

Although the accepted “wisdom” is that Burnley are in pole position because of being able to offer Championship football next season, and Riordan is better than a League One standard, it is McAllister who has the transfer funds in place following the Wembley play-off bonus.

Meanwhile, Burnley need to see out the end game of the potential move of their striker Kyle Lafferty to either Wolves or Rangers. With Burnley playing mind-games over the Lafferty valuation and having failed to come up with the transfer money for Riordan last time, Celtic will welcome a decisive bid for the want-away striker who has just 12 months left on his contract.

Of course there are two other factors in the equation - will Riordan’s agent see both his and his client’s financial future better served, long-term at Leeds United or Turf Moor?

And finally, where do you think ex-Leeds captain and current Celtic manager Gordon Strachan would recommend if asked by Riordan?