West Ham appear close to making their first signing of the summer window.

That’s according to Portuguese outlet Record, which claims that the Irons have made a move for Portuguese midfielder Gustavo Sá in a deal worth around €20 million.

Sá, 21, is an attacking midfielder currently playing for Portuguese Primeira Liga side FC Famalicão. His team finished fifth in the league last season, just missing out on UEFA Conference League qualification.

The 21-year-old is seen as a replacement for the recently departed Mateus Fernandes. He has 15 caps for Portugal’s U21 side, registering four assists at last year’s U21 European Championship, where he played alongside Fernandes.

Sá registered four goals and two assists in 32 league appearances, alternating between central midfield and attacking midfield roles. His stats may not sound too impressive, but he scored as many league goals as Fernandes recorded in all competitions for the Hammers last season.

Additionally, Sá comes with pedigree. After spending three years in Porto’s academy, he made the move to Famalicão, where he is now the club captain. In March, he became the youngest player in Portuguese top-flight history to reach 100 appearances, beating the record formerly held by João Moutinho, who would go on to earn 146 caps for Portugal.

The key aspect of Sá’s game is his ability to play cross-field passes to his wingers. It’s a skill that he performs quickly and effectively. If the Irons snap him up and hold onto Jarrod Bowen, Sá’s ability could give the current West Ham captain plenty of goalscoring opportunities in the second tier.

Sá’s agent is Jorge Mendes, who is also the agent of Fernandes and West Ham manager Nuno Espírito Santo. Clearly, there are links between the Irons and Mendes, who represents some of the world’s biggest stars, such as Lamine Yamal, Vitinha and João Neves. He was also formerly the agent of Cristiano Ronaldo.

Though €20 million may seem a steep fee for the recently relegated Irons to spend on a young talent, Sá has great potential and would provide the Irons’ young midfield with leadership and creativity.