Fulham have made an offer for Porto’s defensive midfielder Hector Herrera, according to reports from Mexico.

Record claims that Whites boss Slavisa Jokanovic has told the Mexican international that he wants to make him a key player in the club’s midfield as they prepare to return to the Premier League and that the 28 year-old is excited about the possibility of a move to England. Porto have responded to Fulham’s offer by revealing their valuation of the World Cup star – and negotiations between the two parties are ongoing with a view to a potential transfer.

Herrera would likely fit in Jokanovic’s favoured 4-3-3 system as a deep-lying midfielder, taking the anchor role currently played by the experienced Scottish midfielder Kevin McDonald, with new signing Jean-Michael Seri and skipper Tom Cairney operating in front of him. He is under contract with Porto until 2019 and the Portuguese giants are strongly considering a sale as they do not want to lose one of their key players for nothing next summer when his current contract expires. He has a minimum fee release clause of £35m,

Herrera is vastly experienced on the international stage, having won seventy caps for Mexico and scored five goals. He has an Olympic gold medal from London 2012, where the Mexicans stunned Brazil to win at Wembley, and was named player of the tournament at that summer’s Toulon Tournament, which the Mexican under-23 side also won. He has won the CONCACAF Gold Cup and the CONCACAF Cup with his country and led Porto to the league title last season, being named in the Primeria Liga team of the year.

Herrera, who played in four of Mexico’s World Cup games this summer in Russia, has made 192 appearances in all competitions for Porto, scoring 26 goals. He was a mainstay of the side that won the title last season, making 29 league appearances, scoring three times and creating five assists. It is believed Porto would accept a bid of above £20m for their energetic, box-to-box midfielder.