Hibs and Aberdeen are both keen on Ross County star Ross Stewart.
The Easter Road outfit have already made contact with their Premiership rivals over a potential deal in this window.
The Staggies are also aware that Aberdeen are also watching the situation closely, while English sides Blackburn, Middlesbrough and Stoke City are also interested in their 11 goal striker.
Stewart is out with a hamstring injury but is likely to be back within the next couple of weeks.
It would take a substantial six figure bid for County to even consider selling and they would be looking to make a significant profit on the £50,000 they paid to St Mirren two seasons ago.
It remains to be seen if the Easter Road board, however, are prepared to meet the Highlanders’ asking price, although they have already pocketed a six figure sum from County for the sale of striker Oli Shaw earlier in the window.
Hibs, who are trying to land right-back Paul McGinn from St Mirren, are also actively trying to get Marc McNulty back on-loan from Reading but there are complications with that deal and it would also require Sunderland to terminate his current loan.
Aberdeen are also watching the situation, especially if there is any surprise late moves that prises their top scorer Sam Cosgrove out before the end of the window.
Stoke City have already made in contact with the Dons in recent days but they have made it clear that they aren’t interested in selling Cosgrove in this window.
The English Championship were looking to make an offer of £2 million with add ons but it is well short of the Pittodrie valuation.
If that was to happen then Aberdeen could use some of the funds from that sale, although chairman Dave Cormack has the funds to sanction such a bid for Stewart out with.
He has already come up with the money to sign Matty Kennedy and Dylan McGeouch in this window.
The Dons also had the money to rival Hearts for Liam Boyce but they refused to match their rivals on the wages front.
