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ADAM KING could earn cash-strapped Hearts a £200,000 windfall by sealing a dream move to Swansea City.

But while the transfer would be a financial boost to the crisis-hit Jambos, it would be a body blow to gaffer Gary Locke who is already working with a skeleton squad at Tynecastle and believes the club have no chance of overturning a transfer ban.

English Premier League side Swansea tried to buy highly-rated King in the summer and made contact with Hearts again last week about securing a deal for the 18-year-old midfielder.

They’re willing to take King now but the youngster wants to see out the campaign with his boyhood club – and help their bid to pull off a miraculous bid to stay in the Scottish Premiership.

The Welsh club are willing to pay around £150,000 up front for King but that figure could rise with potential add-ons, which will be music to the ears of Hearts administrator Bryan Jackson.

With the club’s future still in limbo a cash injection from a players’ sale would be a massive boost to their survival hopes.

Jackson is fighting a registration embargo in a bid to help Locke bring in new players during the January transfer window.

But Locke believes they’re fighting a losing battle – and says other clubs are right to have no sympathy for the Jambos.

The Hearts boss said: “We’ve got to try to fight it but it’s not likely to get us anywhere, I think we’re fighting a losing battle.

“I understand why there hasn’t been a lot of sympathy from our rivals. I’ve said all along that we’re in this predicament because of ourselves,

no one else.

“So we have to take our punishment on the chin but we’re certainly suffering.”