NEIL Warnock has dropped his strongest hint yet that Sheffield United are ready to test Burnley's resolve with a new bid for Ade Akinbiyi.

The Clarets are waiting with bated breath to see if the Blades follow up two rejected offers with a third, improved attempt to land the 31-year-old striker, whose 14 goals this season have proved priceless.

Chairman Barry Kilby this morning confirmed no further contact had been made between the two clubs since he rejected a tweaked' second bid, believed to be a club-record equalling £1.5million, last week.

"The latest is that there is nothing new to report," he insisted.

"We rejected an offer from Sheffield United last Wednesday and that is the last time I spoke to them."

The Blades, who called a board meeting yesterday afternoon to weigh up their next move, have now widened the net in the search for another striker.

A "significant" bid has been made for 23-year-old Israeli Omer Golan, who plays for Maccabi Petach-Tikva.

However sources suggest that Warnock, who recently missed out on Glasgow Celtic-bound Kenny Miller, is merely laying down contingency plans should he fail to land his number one target, who is crucially set to fly to southern Europe with the Clarets tomorrow on their mid-winter training break And Warnock, who also has bids still on the table for West Brom's 32-year-old striker Geoff Horsfield and Cardiff City teenager Cameron Jerome, hinted that his club are ready to make their latest move for Akinbiyi as the clock ticks down to the closure of the transfer window in just one week's time.

He said: "People say the average age of my squad is too high at 29, but next week I hope it is 31.

"It is always better with age. It's a bit like women. When you have an older one with more experience, it is always far more enjoyable!"