West Ham United are believed to be monitoring Atalanta star Teun Koopmeiners, as manager David Moyes seeks to bolster his midfield ranks.
What's the word?
According to transfer insider Dean Jones - speaking to GIVEMESPORT - the 24-year-old is a player who the Hammers are keeping tabs on this summer, albeit with it seemingly unlikely that they will be able to secure his signature.
He stated: “I mean, he is definitely on the radar. I just think that it might be a bit too ambitious. He’s such a good player, and some of the genuinely top clubs across Europe have been looking at this guy.
"It’s going to be tough, if I’m totally honest, I just don’t see him joining.”
This follows a recent report from Italy that claimed the east Londoners had made an enquiry regarding the Dutchman, albeit with a move said to be 'complicated' with just a few weeks remaining in the window and with the midfielder having three years remaining on his existing deal in Bergamo - plus the option for a further year.
Moyes' own Tielemans
While it's been a largely impressive window for West Ham boss David Moyes thus far - securing five major deals in total - one area of concern remains the centre of the park, even with boyhood fan Flynn Downes having joined from Swansea City.
The retirement of long-serving skipper Mark Noble - and the exit of loanee Alex Kral - has left the former Everton boss with little depth in his midfield department, with an injury or absence to one of Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek likely to prove catastrophic.
With a new recruit needed, turning to Koopmeiners could well be the ideal solution, with the £22.5m-rated man having shone since his move to Italy last year, having provided eight goal contributions in 44 games for the Serie A side thus far.
Prior to that, the £31k-per-week ace had scored an impressive 43 goals and chipped in with 17 assists in 153 games for Eredivise side AZ Alkmaar, having also notched up nine caps thus far at international level.
That goalscoring record is all the more remarkable considering the 6-foot menace typically lines up in a defensive midfield berth, showcasing his ability to impact the game in the final third even from a deep-lying position.
While a player perhaps unfamiliar to some supporters, it is telling to note that he can be compared to Leicester City gem Youri Tielemans, with the pair sharing a number of stylistic and statistical similarities, as per FBref.
The two men are both seemingly masters at kickstarting attacks with an incisive forward pass, with Koopmeiners averaging 3.51 for progressive passes received per 90 as well as 5.15 for progressive passes, while Tielemans compares similarly with an average of 3.06 and 5.83 for the same two metrics, respectively.
Furthermore, they are both goal-scoring midfielders, with the latter bagging 16 times in the past two campaigns to the Dutchman's 21 strikes.
That will pique the interest of those at the London Stadium such has been the form of the Belgian maestro in recent seasons, with the 25-year-old's stunning displays having seen him repeatedly linked with a move to Arsenal.
Should Moyes and co get Koopmeiners through the door, the hope will be that he can make a similar impact as to that of the Foxes sensation.