KEVIN McDonald’s combined fee of £500,000 is already proving to be a bargain – just five months into his Turf Moor career.

But ordering a pot of tea to share with Mr and Mrs McDonald before a deal with Dundee was struck is arguably the best few pounds Burnley manager Owen Coyle has ever spent.

Understandably wanting nothing but the very best for their talented young son, the decision to be parted by more than 280 miles was not taken lightly.

Coyle, a family man himself, fully understood, and took the time to meet the couple at a halfway house between Glasgow and the McDonalds’ Carnoustie home to offer his assurance, in person, that the Clarets would fulfil all their requirements.

Scottish Premier League champions Celtic were believed to have been summer suitors, among others, but unlike Burnley, they could not guarantee first team football.

So given the reputation Coyle had garnered while in charge of St Johnstone as an ideal mentor, they gave their blessing, and the midfielder upped sticks to East Lancashire.

Burnley knew nothing of the Scotland Under 21 international at the time; similarly he had a limited knowledge of his new club.

But after breaking into the Dundee team aged only 16, and arriving at Turf Moor with more than 100 league and cup games under his belt, Coyle knew plenty about McDonald’s attributes and how they would benefit his reconstructed squad.

Injury hampered his start to the season, and later ruled him out for more than a month.

Joey Gudjonsson’s influential performances in midfield delayed his return, but his contribution from the bench at Barnsley three games ago proved to be a turning point in his season, while three goals in two starts suggest there is no danger of him looking back now.

His elegance on the ball belies his ungainly 6ft 3ins frame, his composure in shooting range is not dis-similar to that of a seasoned striker.

Having scored twice to dump Arsenal out of the Carling Cup and fire Burnley into their first semi-final for 25 years, it would be easy for him to get carried away with his new-found fame.

The 20-year-old is far too laid back, yet steadfastly focused, to be sidetracked from his mission to keep Burnley in the Championship’s top six, and that could be his greatest asset of all.