Craig Levein wants to reunite with Uche Ikpeazu at St Johnstone this summer.
The former Heart of Midlothian boss wants to re-sign the striker he had playing under him at Tynecastle for two seasons.
The 29-year-old will become a free agent when his contract at Port Vale ends in June. And the Scottish Sun states that Levein is keen to make the Ugandan international his first signing of the summer.
Saints are due to undergo a radical overhaul of their first-team squad in a bid to have a better crack at the Scottish Premiership next term. The Perth side were the top flight's lowest scorers last season, where they narrowly avoided the play-off against Raith Rovers. So, Levein is keen to bolster his frontline options and provide support to both Adama Sidibeh and Benji Kimpioka.
Ikpeazu is the target St Johnstone has in mind, and it's been reported they are working on luring him back to Scottish football. He left Hearts to join Wycombe in 2020 before making a £1m move to Middlesbrough, then joining fellow Championship side Cardiff.
Port Vale signed the powerful forward on a one-year deal last October after spending several months without a club. While it's believed the League Two club has offered fresh terms to Ikpeazu, it looks increasingly likely that he will move on.
American businessman Adam Webb is aiming to complete his takeover of the McDiarmid Park club next week. Once this is over the line, Levein can look to crank up his recruitment ahead of pre-season.
