Hearts keen to land Aberdeen's Niall McGinn on pre-contract

Hearts are hoping to sign Aberdeen attacker Niall McGinn on a pre-contract agreement.

Niall McGinn's contract at Aberdeen expires in the summer. Pic: SNS

The Northern Ireland internationalist is free to talk to other clubs with his contract due to expire in the summer and the Tynecastle outfit want to land the ex-Celtic player for next season.

The Evening News understands that Gorgie officials have held talks with McGinn’s representatives and see him as a potential key player under new head coach Ian Cathro.

McGinn was in good form on Friday night as he helped the Dons defeat Hearts 1-0 at Tynecastle, providing the assist for Jonny Hayes’ winner. The 29-year-old a vital part of the Aberdeen team over the past three seasons and has become a fans favourite.

The 29-year-old is well known to the Hearts coaching set-up, with assistant Austin MacPhee having worked alongside him with the Northern Ireland national team, and it would be deemed a significant coup if Hearts could land him from one of their chief rivals in the Ladbrokes Premiership.