Heart of Midlothian have opened talks with Kilmarnock as the Edinburgh club bid to secure Derek McInnes as their new team boss.
Hearts have identified the former Aberdeen and St Johnstone manager as their preferred candidate to succeed Neil Critchley.
Both Hearts and Kilmarnock have yet to reach an agreement over the 53-year-old Scot, and are due to face one another in the final game of the season on Sunday.
Since Critchley's dismissal last month after six months as head coach, McInnes has been the strong favourite to take over.
