Wouter Vrancken is 'close' to becoming Heart of Midlothian’s new head coach, with the club set to end its search for Derek McInnes’ successor.
The 47-year-old is available after leaving Sint-Truiden at the end of last season, having guided the Belgian side to a third-place finish ahead of Anderlecht in the top flight.
According to Hearts Standard, Vrancken has emerged as the leading candidate following an extensive recruitment process led by sporting director Graeme Jones and chairman Calum Paterson.
The Belgian has built up significant managerial experience, taking charge of more than 300 matches across spells with Lommel, Mechelen, Genk, Gent and Sint-Truiden.
Jones and Paterson have spent the past week interviewing candidates, with former AZ boss Maarten Martens and ex-Feyenoord and Manchester United coach Rene Hake also under consideration.
Vrancken was identified early in the process following input from Jamestown Analytics and has remained a standout option throughout.
Talks are ongoing, but Hearts are hopeful of finalising a deal this week in time for the start of pre-season preparations.
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The first-team squad are due to report back at Oriam on Thursday before travelling to Spain on Monday for a warm-weather training camp.
Hearts have been forced to act quickly following McInnes’ departure, with the club keen to have a new manager in place as soon as possible.
Vrancken’s strong personality and proven track record have impressed the Hearts hierarchy. His honours include winning the Belgian Cup with Mechelen and being named manager of the year during his time at Genk.
He left Sint-Truiden on a high after leading them to third place and securing European qualification, their best league finish since the 1965-66 season. The achievement earned him another manager of the season award, his second in Belgian football.
His work attracted interest from Saint-Etienne, but he chose to remain and complete the campaign before moving on this summer.
Vrancken had returned to Sint-Truiden, where he previously played as a midfielder, following a difficult spell at Gent. He rebuilt the side from relegation contenders into European qualifiers.
That success has brought interest from across Europe, including Blackburn Rovers, but Hearts now appear set to win the race for his signature.
