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

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

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

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.