Everton have been dealt a boost in their pursuit of Sporting Lisbon midfielder Matheus Nunes.

A Tweet shared by journalist Sean Lunt covers two separate reports coming out of Portugal that indicate a deal is close to being agreed.

A report from Correio da Manha say he’s ‘very close’ to joining Everton, with that claim corroborated by source Record.

The second report claims that the Blues have a contract ready worth £1 million a year, which is five times his current salary with the Portuguese side.

A deal is said to be worth €20 million (£17.1 million).

Separately, reports from A Bola have claimed that a deal is all but complete, with Nunes set to fly to Liverpool soon for a medical with the Toffees.

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The Brazilian midfielder represent a promising young option that is adept anywhere in midfield.

With both offensive and defensive capacities, Nunes is noted for his progressive style of play and ability to courageously receive balls on the half-turn.

His technical ability equips him with a strong range of passing skills, a strong first touch and proficient dribbling abilities.

At Sporting, that supplemented his typical midfield partner in Wendel and offered a new edge to Sporting’s transitional phases of play.

With a deal seemingly on the verge of completion, barring any last-minute hitches, Everton look to have a real starlet on their hands.

However, Nunes will have to jostle with a wide range of existing options at Everton for places.

Andre Gomes, Tom Davies, Allan and Abdoulaye Doucoure are just some of the existing options on the Toffees’ books.

In that view, Nunes’ arrival may be a signal of intent that one or two longer-serving midfielders could be set to move on.