Preston's Stephen Elliott would be a hit at Hearts, says Nicholson

• Stephen Elliott

The former Aberdeen, Dunfermline and Rangers midfielder is a team-mate of Irishman Elliott at Deepdale and reckons the hitman could cause huge problems for defenders north of the Border.

Elliott still has a year to run on his contract at Preston but has been told he is surplus to requirements and transfer-listed by manager Darren Ferguson. However, it remains to be seen if the English club will request a transfer fee or will allow him to leave for free.

The player is keen to make the move to Scotland in a bid to resurrect his career but he would have to accept a reduction in salary to join Hearts as his current basic wage stands at over 6,000 a week.

Elliot has nine full caps for the Republic of Ireland but has not featured since Giovanni Trapattoni was appointed coach of Ireland in 2008.

Nicholson revealed that Elliott has been told to train with the Preston kids but said: "If Hearts do get him, it would be a good signing for them.

"He is quick, he doesn't give defenders any peace at all and he can certainly score his fair share of goals.

"He has not been training with the first-team squad but, if he is going to make the move, I am sure he will do well."

If Elliott can engineer a move to Hearts, he'll find at least one familiar face at Tynecastle. While scoring 22 goals in 55 league starts for Sunderland between 2004 and 2007, Elliott had Kevin Kyle as a team-mate at the Stadium of Light.