Championship clubs chase Dundee United's Johnny Russell

Three clubs from the top half of the Championship are believed to be interested in taking Dundee United striker Johnny Russell to England.

United chairman Stephen Thompson met representatives of a leading Championship club last week.

A bid of around £700,000 has been mooted and United expect the club concerned to return with a definite offer in the weeks ahead.

Russell could have already said his goodbyes to the United fans

Russell has a year left on his current contract at Tannadice.

The 23-year-old said earlier this month that he would like to play overseas should United agree to his sale this summer.

Serie A club Catania have had three bids for the former Scotland Under-21 international turned down.

Championship outfit Huddersfield Town had a £1.25m double bid for Russell and winger Gary Mackay-Steven rejected by United in August.

Sheffield United subsequently had an offer for Russell, who is a product of United's youth system, rebuffed in January.

The striker has scored 20 goals in 38 appearances for the Scottish Premier League club this season despite missing two months of the season after suffering a broken fibula in late February.

United have already lost one striker this summer, with long-serving captain Jon Daly agreeing to join Rangers.

However, manager Jackie McNamara immediately announced that he had signed a replacement in the shape of Raith Rovers' Brian Graham.

The last forward to be sold to an English club by United was Russell's former striker partner, David Goodwillie, who moved to Blackburn Rovers for £2.8m in August 2011.