Leeds United have made a request to sign Sassuolo's Hamed Traore, according to the Italian club's CEO.
The lowdown
Leeds have already been busy in this summer's transfer window, bringing in three new faces.
Attacking midfielder Brenden Aaronson and right-back Rasmus Kristensen have joined from RB Salzburg, while central midfielder Marc Roca has arrived from Bayern Munich.
The trio have cost a collective £52million, but Leeds could be due to bank up to £105million from the sales of Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha.
Traore is a 22-year-old attacking midfielder who can also play in a deeper role or on the left wing.
Valued at £19.8million by Transfermarkt, he's under contract for another two years.
The latest
Speaking to Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness), Sassuolo chief Giovanni Carnevali confirmed that Leeds had been in touch. But he was keen to stress that the club will not being sell all of its coveted assets this summer.
"We have received a request [from Leeds], but I repeat, we will not sell all of them," he said.
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The verdict
Another Sassuolo player attracting interest is Gianluca Scamacca, who's said to be admired by Arsenal, Newcastle United and West Ham United.
You can see why the club might be reluctant to lose the 16-goal striker and Traore, who scored seven times and provided four assists last season, in the same window.
It might take a special offer for Leeds to lure away the midfielder, who's similar in profile to Philippe Coutinho and Raphinha with quick feet and elite close control - he actually completed more dribbles per game in Serie A last term than Raphinha did in the Premier League.
For Leeds, it would be a long-term investment in a player who was 'fantastic' last term, in the words of sports journalist Josh Bunting.