Hull City are eying a move for Everton midfielder Tim Iroegbunam, as the Tigers look to bolster their squad ahead of their huge Premier League opener with Manchester United on August 22.
The talented 22-year-old is one of a number of new recruits City are casting an eye over, but the former West Brom and Aston Villa youngster, who won the European Under-19 Championships with England, is one of significant interest, Hull Live understands.
City are keen to strengthen their midfield ranks with pace and power, and Iroegbunam is viewed as a talented player at a good age, with experience of operating in the top flight.
Birmingham-born Iroegbunam joined Everton from Villa two years ago for a reported £9m fee, and has one year left on his deal at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
JOIN US ON FACEBOOK! Latest Hull City news and analysis on our Hull Live FB page
It's understood Everton would be open to allowing the ex-QPR loanee to leave the club this summer, provided City meet the asking price, thought to be in the region of £20m, which isn't thought to be an issue.
Last term, the dynamic performer played 29 times in the Premier League for David Moyes' men, adding to the 18 appearances he amassed in the season before that. Prior to his move to Merseyside, Iroegbunam played 12 times in the top flight for Villa, and he's had fleeting experience operating in the Conference League with his hometown club.
City are not the only club to be monitoring Iroegbunam, who came close to leaving Everton in January, with newly-promoted Ipswich Town also credited with interest.
Meanwhile, despite reports earlier this week that City were keen on signing former Sheffield United midfielder Sander Berge, Hull Live understands the Norway ace is not a live target for the Tigers.
The ambitious Tigers hope to have wrapped up their first signing of the summer window in the next 10 days or so, assuming things continue to progress well.
Here at Hull Live , we are dedicated to bringing you the best Hull City coverage and analysis. Make sure you don't miss out on the latest City news by joining our free WhatsApp group.
You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe. You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click here to be sent all the day's biggest stories.