HEARTS head coach Robbie Neilson last night edged closer to joining Milton Keynes Dons after travelling to England to hold talks with the League One club.

Neilson oversaw Hearts training at the Oriam national performance centre yesterday morning ahead of tonight’s clash with Rangers at Tynecastle, which appears certain to be his final match in charge of the club.

However, he then travelled down south in the afternoon to meet with MK Dons chairman Pete Winkelman.

It is understood Neilson was shown the club’s facilities, including their 30,000-seater Stadium MK, while ironing out the finer points of his impending switch.

With the respective clubs close to finalising a compensation package, a deal is expected to be formally concluded before the end of the week, with Neilson in place in time for Saturday’s fixture against Charlton Athletic.

Hearts have already begun the task of seeking a new head coach; however, it will not be the current assistant Stevie Crawford, who is likely to join Neilson at MK Dons, and is not among the candidates for the top job in Gorgie.

While the Edinburgh outfit are keen on the concept of developing coaches from within under the tutelage of director of football Craig Levein, Crawford was hand-picked by Neilson, rather than Levein, and will remain by his partner's side.

And with Under-20s boss Jon Daly, who only joined the club in January, still learning his trade, Hearts are expected to look for an external candidate.

East Fife boss Gary Naysmith, who led the Bayview side to the League Two title last term, and Newcastle assistant manager Ian Cathro are, however, firmly on the club's radar.

Levein, meanwhile, is likely to take charge of this weekend’s Premiership fixture against Ross County if, as expected, Neilson and Crawford both leave the club in the next 48 hours.