O’Grady set to spark bidding war

Chris O’Grady (right) has had a productive loan spell at Rochdale.

CHRIS O’GRADY may be on his way out of Boundary Park after all, with Championship suitors set to move in for the striker.

The 23-year-old, on loan at high-flying Coca-Cola League Two side Rochdale until January 16, has been in hot form of late and has bagged 12 goals in 21 appearances for Keith Hill’s men.

The Dale boss has already stated publicly it is a “must” that O’Grady signs for the Spotland outfit, who are currently 14 points clear of the play-off places at the top of their division and chasing a first promotion in 40 years.

At the same time, Athletic manager Dave Penney has insisted that the player will be hauled back to the club on the expiration of his loan spell.

But that view could change if a cash deal — rather than an extension to the current loan, which Athletic won’t countenance — is made, allowing Penney to spend money elsewhere on his side.

Pawel Abbott’s imminent return to fitness along with Chris Taylor, added to a possible deal for Doncaster striker Paul Heffernan, mean that Penney has new striking options even without O’Grady — who has yet to find the net in 16 appearances for Athletic over two seasons.

A bidding war would help drive up his price tag and it is reported that Derby County, Peterborough United and Scunthorpe United have all been sufficiently impressed with the striker’s form to be interested in signing him permanently.

Athletic would prefer to do a deal sooner rather than later to capitalise on the purple patch of O’Grady, who is out of contract at the end of the season.

The club would still get a fee come the end of that deal if the former Rotherham man left for another club after being offered a renewed contract, as he is under the age of 24.