Dundee United are set to hold talks with Steve McClaren over their vacant managerial role.
Record Sport understands that United have made an approach to the former England manager.
The Tannadice club have already held discussions with the SFA’s performance director Malky Mackay, while Tranmere boss Micky Mellon is also on a short-list along with another couple of candidates.
The United board has been on the look-out for a boss since Robbie Neilson quit for a shock return to Hearts last Sunday.
They are likely to move away from a head coach role to a first-team manager with the next appointment.
United sporting director Tony Asghar has a close relationship with McClaren that goes back more than 20 years.
McClaren has a wealth of experience and has won the Dutch League with Twente and the League Cup with Middlesbrough.
The 59-year-old has also had spells at Wolfsburg, Nottingham Forest, Derby, Newcastle and last year was in charge at QPR.
McClaren, linked with Hearts in January, is working for FIFA and one of the countries he has been doing work on is Scotland so he has a close grasp of the league.
Sporting director Asghar has spoken to a number of candidates and whittled the list down to four or five.
United also made a move to the SFA and have been given permission to speak to Mackay. The 48-year-old also has a relationship with Asghar and has been Wigan, Watford and Cardiff boss.
United’s assistant coach Lee McCulloch and Gordon Forrest were both under consideration but they don’t want the role.
Neilson wants both at Hearts but an agreement between the clubs means nothing can be done before September unless compensation is agreed.
Dundee United have spoken to former players Jon Daly, who recently left Hearts, and Barry Robson, a coach at Aberdeen.
