Crystal Palace have made a £400,000 move for Dundee United teenager Scott Banks.
The Premier League outfit have opened talks with the Tannadice club over their talented winger but could face stiff competition from rivals Southampton.
Palace sporting director Dougie Freedman has had the 17-year-old watched on various occasions, including in last week’s friendly against Shrewsbury, and is now trying to strike a deal with United.
Banks, who spent last season on loan at Clyde, has made a real impact in the Betfred Cup and that alerted a number of English clubs.
Southampton have also made contact with United and they will have Banks watched again today in their Championship opener at home to Inverness Caley Thistle.
Saints are expected to come in with a bid but Premier League champions Manchester City have also sent scouts to watch Banks, along with Leeds United.
United kick off their campaign still hurting from last season’s play-off penalty shoot-out defeat.
Captain Mark Reynolds admits that was his worst moment in football but reckons leading United back to the Premiership would be up with the best.
He said: “Losing in the play-off final to St Mirren in May hit me hard and that went for all the players and staff. After that game was probably the worst I’ve ever felt.
“There aren’t too many penalty shoot-outs which finish 2-0 or 3-0 so that was pretty embarrassing. We had the chances to win it during normal time but we didn’t convert them and that’s always hard to take.
“But we now need to use that defeat and that disappointment to spur ourselves on. The pinnacle of my career has been the League Cup win with Aberdeen but winning the Championship would be up there.”
Caley Thistle striker Jordan White is also nursing play-off anger after their semi-final defeat to the Tangerines.
White said: “We want to go and put it right this season.”
