United in move for Hearts striker King

DUNDEE United have opened talks with available Hearts attacker Billy King with a view to a contract for next season.

The 22-year-old has been on a season-long loan at Premiership strugglers Inverness Caley Thistle and earlier this week was told by parent club Hearts he is free to leave in the summer.

That’s sparked interest from a number of clubs, but United have moved quickly in their attempt to secure him.

Manager Ray McKinnon’s priority right now is, of course, the play-offs and trying to get the Tangerines back to the Premiership for the beginning of next season.

But he has also been working hard on strengthening his squad for next season, both in terms of bringing in new faces and fixing up the current members of his squad he wants to stay.

William Edjenguele has already signed a new deal and talks are ongoing with striker Simon Murray over his future.

Several others have also had sit-downs with the manager and although his exact budget will not be clear until he knows what division the team will be in next term, it’s understood the discussions he’s had have been positive.

Recently appointed head of football operations, Darren Taylor, has also been working hard alongside Ray to compile a list of possible targets who would improve the quality of the squad.

That search has seen him take in games here and in England.

With so much at stake in the looming play-offs, the Tangerines’ management team have been keen to try to keep the work with next term in mind under the radar for the time being.

Hearts attacker and former Rangers loanee is on United’s radar as the club look to freshen up the squad for next season’s campaign.