Peterborough United star Siriki should sit tight and secure a weekly £30k pay deal in the summer

Dembele handed in a written transfer request earlier this month because of a desire to play at a higher level.

The Peterborough Telegraph understands several Championship clubs have made bids for the 24 year-old, but none have come anywhere near to matching the Posh valuation of a player they signed from Grimsby 30 months ago for around £200k.

MacAnthony said: “I’ve spoken to Siriki and his family and I was very fair with him and he was very fair with me.

“He wants to play higher which is fair enough, but I doubt it will happen in January so the best thing for Siriki to do is stay here, play out of his skin for the rest of the season and then I will help him get a move if he still wants it.

“If he carries on playing like he has in the last couple of matches he could pick up a salary of £20k-£30k a week just as Ivan Toney did last year.

“There is no money about at the moment, but there could be in the summer.

“The rest of the players are right behind Siriki. He has started to terrorise defences again and if he keeps going like this he will cement his position as the best player in League One. The sky will be the limit for him then.”

Toney joined Championship high fliers Brentford at the end of last season after initially asking to leave in January. The Toney transfer could eventually be worth £10 million to Posh, while the player is understood to have increased his wages tenfold.

The Bees were reportedly interested in reuniting Toney and Dembele, but Posh insist that story is false.

Scottish Premier League leaders Rangers still have an interest in Dembele, but have yet to make a bid. Posh are thought to want a fee in the region of £3 million.

Posh director of football Barry Fry has revealed there has been interest in Posh midfielder Louis Reed and in a couple of the younger Posh players, but no outgoings are imminent. Attacking midfielder Serhat Tasdemir is available on loan with League Two sides Salford and Southend both linked with the 20 year-old.

Posh boss Darren Ferguson is confident the squad the club built in the summer is good enough to win promotion this season, but the loss of a key player would necessitate a replacement.

Nottingham Forest, Sheffield Wednesday and Derby County are the Championship clubs linked with Dembele this season.

Dembele set up two goals for Sammie Szmodics in last Saturday’s 3-0 League One win over MK Dons.

He has scored seven goals in all competitions and been credited with six goal assists, the third highest total in League One behind Hull’s George Honeyman and Posh teammate Joe Ward.