Hearts coach Robbie Neilson heading south today for MK Dons talks

Hearts head coach Robbie Neilson will travel south today to finalise his move to MK Dons.

Robbie Neilson will take training at Riccarton before heading to England for talks with MK Dons

Tynecastle officials have given the 36-year-old permission to speak to the English League One club after they made an official approach to fill their managerial vacancy.

Neilson was due to take Hearts training at Riccarton this morning ahead of tomorrow night's crucial match with Rangers at Tynecastle. However, he is due in Milton Keynes later this afternoon to meet the MK Dons chairman Pete Winkelman.

He will be shown round the facilities at StadiumMK before holding talks with Winkelman to thrash out personal terms. He is due back in Edinburgh by tomorrow where, barring an unexpected hitch to the MK Dons deal, he will take charge of Hearts for the last time against Rangers.

Neilson is keen to move to England and believes he can help MK Dons rebuild. He played a key part in Hearts' resurgence since being appointed head coach in 2014. He is expected to take his assistant Stevie Crawford with him to Buckinghamshire.

The Edinburgh club are already putting plans in place to appoint his successor, with Ian Cathro, Gary Naysmith, Steven Pressley and Paul Hartley all amongst the candidates.

Richie Barker is currently in temporary charge of MK Dons following the sacking of manager Karl Robinson last month.