Five Scottish clubs are currently chasing the signature of Inverness defender Robbie Deas.
The 23-year-old is out of contract in the summer and he looks set to leave his current team in the Highlands when the season ends.
David Martindale is interested in bringing Deas to the Tony Macaroni Stadium as a possible replacement for Livingston defender Jack Fitzwater.
But Herald and Times Sport understands the Livi boss faces stiff competition from four other Scottish clubs as well as a number of English outfits.
Deas was recently out injured with a broken leg, but he has since returned for Billy Dodds' side who are struggling in the Scottish Championship.
Dodds recently hailed the defender's importance, saying: “Deasy is a big character at this club. Anybody coming back from injury within that length of time is always going to give the boys a boost.
“The biggest boost is for him and I cannot wait to see him play again. He’s a big player for us and it’s an important time for us between now and the end of the season.”
St Johnstone lodged a bid for Deas last season as they aimed to bolster their squad to stave off the threat of relegation from the Scottish Premiership.
Two bids, including a six-figure fee, were knocked back and since then, Saints have eased on their interest.
Deas was on the books with Celtic as a youngster and spent time on loan at Cowdenbeath and Alloa before moving to Inverness in 2020.
