Celtic are ready to use out-of-favour striker Derek Riordan as bait to bring Northern Ireland striker Kyle Lafferty to Parkhead.

The 20-year-old is high on the Scottish Champions' list of targets and now that the January transfer window is open a move from Gordon Strachan in imminent.

And Strachan's hopes of signing the man he failed to land 12 months ago have received a boost from the unlikeliest of sources - Lafferty's own club Burnley.

Clarets' boss Owen Coyle has denied making an Inquiry about Riordan, but he is understood to be keen to rescue the player from his Celtic Park nightmare after failing to hold down a regular place in the Hoops line-up since his move from Hibernian 12 months ago.

Source: Belfast Telegraph