Hearts are lining up a bid to bring Kyle Lafferty back to Tynecastle.
Record Sport understands Jambos ex-interim boss Austin MacPhee has already made contact with the 32-year-old’s camp to sound out a return to Gorgie.
Lafferty is a free agent following a successful season in Norway – where he helped unfancied Sarpsborg fend off the threat of relegation.
The former Rangers frontman – who rattled 13 goals in 37 appearances for Hearts in his previous spell – is keen to return to the UK and has several options in England.
But the Jambos have been informed Tynecastle is the only destination he would consider in Scotland as he weighs up his future.
Lafferty was a smash hit at the club during his first spell, where he arrived in the summer of 2017 following a stint in England with Norwich City.
His displays in Gorgie earned him a second move to Rangers the following term but he found starting opportunities limited in Steven Gerrard’s first season at the helm at Ibrox after the arrival of Jermain Defoe and the form of Alfredo Morelos.
The targetman enjoyed a successful first spell at Ibrox when he was part of Walter Smith’s title winning sides before heading to Switzerland to join Sion in 2012.
Hearts backroom planner MacPhee – who is sharing sporting director duties in the short term with ex-boss Craig Levein – has retained close links with the hitman through international duty.
MacPhee is Northern Ireland boss Michael O’Neill’s right hand man and he is hoping to link up again with the Gorgie favourite.
Lafferty hit the net just once in 20 appearances for Sarpsborg but was hailed as a hero for leading the side to safety against the odds.
The Northern Ireland striker was on a bumper bonus if the club avoided the drop – but he shared his payout with his teammates.
