CITY are still keen on Chesterfield hot-shot Kristian Dennis.

The 28-year-old striker wants to stay in the Football League after the Spireites were relegated.

Having come so close to signing him in January, the Bantams are maintaining an interest in the situation.

But they will only make a move if they feel the National League side’s price tag is reasonable.

Dennis is set to be in demand after scoring 21 goals in a season when Chesterfield still finished bottom of League Two.

The Telegraph & Argus understands that City are wary of being dragged into a bidding war if Chesterfield try to play off any rival offers.

One League Two club, claimed to be Port Vale by sources in Derbyshire, have already made a move since it was announced that Dennis would be up for sale.

City would be prepared to consider any realistic figure and hope that Dennis will relish the opportunity to finally make the switch to Valley Parade after missing out before.

Dennis thought he had sealed the move just hours before the mid-season transfer deadline.

City had agreed a fee believed to be worth up to £175,000 with add-ons and the player had passed his club medical.

But Chesterfield pulled the plug late on when they failed to land expected replacement Jonson Clarke-Harris from Rotherham after he opted to join play-off finalists Coventry instead.

The Bantams accused them of “reneging” on the deal at the time. Dennis was sat with City officials at the ground as the news came through – which left his girlfriend in tears.

But Dennis swallowed his disappointment to return to Chesterfield and net a further six goals in their unsuccessful bid to beat the drop into non-league.

Including his season with Macclesfield prior to joining the Spireites, his impressive tally is 54 goals in the last 125 appearances.

That attitude to pick himself back up rather than sulk at losing out on a big move will have impressed City.

Dennis still has a year left on his Chesterfield contract but has put the offer of a further deal on hold in his bid to stay in the league.

New Spireites boss Martin Allen is in the process of a major overhaul at the Proact Stadium following relegation.

He has told Dennis the club will not block any move providing they feel the price is right.

Meanwhile, former City boss Simon Grayson has been installed as favourite for the Barnsley job.

City’s search for his replacement is still ongoing and no announcement is expected before next week.