Heart of Midlothian chief executive Andrew McKinlay has urged Scottish clubs to ‘think carefully’ about allowing multi-club groups to muscle into the Premiership.

Bournemouth owner Bill Foley has registered an interest in investing in Hibernian, and representatives from the Easter Road club met with the Scottish FA on Thursday to discuss the proposal.

The governing body has to approve a formal request to approve dual interest dispensation. Hibs described Thursday’s talks as ‘positive’, but McKinlay remains wary of the threat of the Premiership teams becoming little more than feeder clubs.

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“I think there is a discussion that has to take place within Scottish football, within the corridors of power, but also amongst the clubs,” McKinlay told BBC Scotland.

“Up until now, we have the dual-interest rule that everyone knows about which has prevented investment coming in. But I think there is a realisation or a view of some that we just need to think carefully about that.

“I think we do have to think carefully though, in the sense of whatever you do, that will become the new norm. I personally wouldn’t like Scotland to become just a league of smaller clubs in multi-club groups.”

As for Hearts where the fans are the majority shareholders through Foundation of Hearts, the transfer of shares is one of four reserved matters for the FoH, and any proposal to do so would require the approval of at least 90 per cent of members to go ahead.

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Stuart Wallace, the former FoH chairman, noted at Thursday night’s FoH AGM that the club already have an investor (James Anderson) and he doesn't want a significant shareholding. Foundation chairman, Gerry Mallon added that the FoH board has not discussed the prospect of multi-club ownership.