Dundee United were last night close to concluding a jackpot £600,000 deal that will see striker Noel Hunt join Reading.
The Tannadice club rejected a £500,000 bid on Monday but the Championship side yesterday upped their offer for the Republic of Ireland 'B' star - and he looks set to move south within the next 48 hours.
Hunt is in the final year of his contract at United and boss Craig Levein is set to pull off a shrewd piece of business for a player signed from Dunfermline just two years ago for £50,000.
Hunt, 25, ended last season as the Tannadice club's top scorer and was a crucial figure behind the side's challenge for third place in the SPL.
However, the recent arrivals of Francesco Sandaza and Warren Feeney - with Jon Daly finally ready to make his mark after an injury-plagued start to his Tannadice career - mean Levein is now well off for strikers.
That front-line back-up, allied to Hunt's contract situation, looks certain to ensure he is allowed to move to the Madejski Stadium and join up with his brother, Stephen, as Reading look for an instant return to England's top flight after relegation last season.
Sandanza wasted no time in endearing himself to United's fans, scoring twice in a 3-2 win at Dunfermline last night.
The 23-year-old Spaniard, on as a second-half substitute, turned smartly to cancel out Scott Thomson's 57th-minute opener for the home side, then stroked his new team ahead four minutes later.
Nicky Phinn's brilliant equaliser looked like earning the Pars a share of the spoils only for United's Scott Robertson to grab a late winner.