MANAGER Craig Levein is poised to complete the first two permanent signings of his Leicester City career.
Hearts duo Alan Maybury (26) and striker Mark De Vries (29) were today both flying down from Scotland to Leicester to finalise terms for a move to the Walkers Stadium.
The Foxes have agreed a combined 'nominal' fee with the Scottish Premier club for the players who are both out of contract at the end of the season.
Maybury and De Vries will both undertake medicals today and, subject to the agreement of personal terms, will be officially unveiled as City players at a Walkers Stadium press conference on Thursday afternoon.
Levein said: "Both players will be major new additions to our squad. I have worked with Alan and Mark at Hearts and am confident they will bring a lift to everyone connected with Leicester City.
"We are at a stage of a season where we need to change things around a little and their arrival could not be better-timed."
Both players will be signed in time for them to be eligible for Saturday's FA Cup third round game with Blackpool.
Maybury and De Vries were both mainstays of Levein's transformation of Hearts into Scotland's nubmer three club behind Celtic and Rangers.
A former Leeds trainee, full back Maybury has won international honours at senior and junior level with the Republic of Ireland.
Born in Surinam, striker De Vries played much of his football in Holland before being snapped up by Levein.
As well as being club top-scorer for two successive seasons with Hearts, De Vries also scored several goals in European action for Hearts including two in their UEFA Cup defeat of Portugese side Sporting Braga earlier this season.