AARON Mclean is on his way back to Peterborough today on loan, the Telegraph & Argus can reveal.

City’s out-of-favour striker will link up with Posh again on a short-term deal and is expected to join them for training this morning.

Phil Parkinson has been keen to get their top earner out on loan since the start of the month in a bid to free up possible funds.

He said: “It’s a good move and I’m pleased for Aaron. It’s a good opportunity for him to go down there and get some games.

“Peterborough expressed an interest as soon as we made him available and that’s where he preferred to go.

“A few clubs came in for him straight away but it’s taken a bit of time to get the deal agreed with Peterborough. I hope he does well there.”

Two clubs from League Two, one of them believed to be Portsmouth, made offers to take him but Mclean did not want to drop down a division.

But he was very keen to go back to Peterborough, where he first made his name during a successful four-year stint earlier in his career. Mclean scored 82 goals for the club between 2006 and 2010 and helped them to back-to-back promotions from League Two up to the Championship.

Posh made a move for him last week but City felt they were not prepared to contribute a significant enough portion of his wages.

It is understood that they have since come back with a more acceptable offer and a deal was agreed last night.

The Bantams are also taking the longer-term view that if Mclean can hit it off again at London Road, Peterborough may look to make the move permanent in the January transfer window.

Mclean is only ten months into a two-and-a-half year deal at Valley Parade but he has fallen out of the first-team picture. After being dropped five games ago, he has not been picked for the last three squads.

The loan is thought to be for an initial ten-week period. City will have a 24-hour recall clause after the first month.

Peterborough boss Darren Ferguson spoke publicly about Mclean for the first time over the weekend, saying: “He’s one we could consider. There are one or two players who we feel would improve us.”

Mclean, brought in on a free from Hull in January to replace Nahki Wells, has scored seven times for City – three this season.

But he missed the whole of pre-season through injury and has been limited to seven league starts since.