The John Souttar saga took another twist today when it emerged big-spending QPR are heading north to spy on him and two other Dundee United team-mates tomorrow.

Winger Gary Mackay-Steven and full-back Andrew Robertson are the other men interesting Harry Redknapp’s English Championship promotion-chasers.

And while it’s not clear how close they are to mounting bids for those two, in Souttar’s case they are ready to splash their cash.

The Loftus Road outfit are willing to match Sunderland’s bid of £600,000 and include a similar seven-figure sell-on clause.

Crucially, it’s understood their plan would be to loan the 17-year-old back to United for the rest of this season.

But while they’ll have a senior member of their scouting team in the stand for tomorrow’s Tannadice clash with Kilmarnock, there remains a chance their efforts will be unsuccessful.

That’s because it’s understood Souttar has been leaning towards knocking back the chance to head south at this early stage of his career.

He’s happy at United and with the first-team chances he’s getting under Jackie McNamara.

That QPR should be interested in GMS and 19-year-old Robertson comes as little surprise.

For well over a year, clubs from the Championship have kept regular tabs on Mackay-Steven, while Robertson’s form in his first season at United has had a few people sitting up and taking notice.

But with Robertson signing a new contract today, United do not have to sell and it would take a massive offer to persuade them to part with either player.