BURNLEY full back Dean West could be going back to his roots.

I understand that the 31-year-old has been targeted by Lincoln City boss Keith Alexander and could return to Sincil Bank, where he started his football career as a trainee before leaving in 1995 after four years as a professional.

Alexander is looking to replace right back Mark Bailey, who moved to Macclesfield after rejecting a new contract.

The Lincoln boss hasn't gone as far as to name West, but said: "I now need a right back and I'm confident of landing someone who was once at the club."

The clues have led fingers to point to the out-of-contract Clarets defender, who still has property in nearby Coleby and would be an instant replacement for Bailey.

Plus new Clarets boss Steve Cotterill has told West, as well as the other out-of-contract players Paul Weller, David May, Mark McGregor and Lenny Johnrose, that they should "take any offers that come along" until he is able to assess his squad.

But West may have to bide his time as Alexander is currently on holiday.

Meanwhile, Cotterill is weighing up his options for a pre-season tour.

The club have been offered the chance to go to Denmark, but Cotterill is also making enquiries about a summer trip to Austria or Holland, as well as contacting Premiership clubs to give the Clarets ideal preparation for the start of the new season.

The new Burnley chief said: "As yet we have no pre-season games organised but I have put in calls to all the Premiership clubs in the area regarding friendlies, and even though most of them are already booked up, they have told me that they will get back to me should they find space in their preparation or if they have any cancellations."

Regarding the potential of an overseas trip he added: "I've also tried to arrange some friendlies either in Austria or Holland and I should hear back about the cost of that by today.

"The next step is for me to speak to the chairman tomorrow to discuss the feasibility of us doing that."

Chairman Barry Kilby said: "Clearly we are behind in our planning for pre-season - understandably so given the nature of the business we have had to conduct.

"But now the decision has been made to bring Steve on board and he will have his own ides of how he wants to gear up for the season.

"Now it is just a case of getting around the table this week and trying to finalise things."

He added: "There is an offer on the table for a game in Denmark and if we can get everything sorted out in time we will probably try to build something around that."

And Kilby also said he was keen to attract a Premiership side to Turf Moor to provide a pre-season blockbuster and get the turnstiles swinging before the start of the new campaign.