Bristol City's recruitment operation now extends far and wide with the club's knowledge of the continental markets as strong as it's ever been.
That's in-part down to the work of CEO Mark Ashton in expanding and deepening the scouting process but also down to the experience of sealing deals for players based beyond the United Kingdom.
Over the last 12 months there has been a marked shift towards searching for different types of footballers, outside of the traditional hunting grounds of the Championship, League One and League.
Han-Noah Massengo was one such gem plucked out of Ligue 1 with the French teenager enjoying a prosperous debut campaign for the Robins.
Over the weekend, reports emerged that Nimes holding midfielder Theo Valls could on City's radar this summer along with a number of clubs in France and England.
We take a closer look at the 24-year-old in terms of who he is and what he offers ...
Who is Theo Valls?
He’s a French midfielder who plays for Nimes, third from bottom and three points from safety in Ligue 1 when the campaign was terminated. It's his second season in the top-flight of French football.
What sort of player is he?
He’s emerged through the youth ranks at Nimes to make 158 appearances across all competitions for his side, and was part of their Ligue 2 promotion squad of 2017/18.
Valls, who had one goal in 23 league outings, can play either in the centre or more defensively. Nimes have tended to line up in either a 4-4-2 or 4-5-1 this season with Valls to the left of the central midfield player.
At the risk of stereotyping him, he looks very much a Lee Johnson-type midfielder: holds his position, distributes and has a good diagonal and long pass on him.
On the defensive side of the game, he likes to step into passing lanes and make interceptions before delivering simple passes into the more creative types.
What are his stats like?
Individually, his numbers aren't particularly remarkable in the context of the rest of the division. He averages 34.63 passes per 90 minutes at a relatively modest 83.5% accuracy.
He does possess a degree of creativity with 1.4 key passes per 90, his expected assists is an okay 0.11 and he averages 6.72 passes into the final third (for context Adam Nagy is 5.95 and Han-Noah Massengo 5.3).
The example of those two players is pertinent because Valls definitely resembles both of them in how he plays.
And is he looking to move to England?
He’s certainly said to be considering it, with lots of clubs interested in him – including the Robins’ Championship rivals Brentford and Nottingham Forest.
What’s he said about it?
French media asked Valls about his immediate future, and he wasn’t shy about expressing his views.
He made it clear that he and the club have not been able to come to an agreement to extend his contract – although he says he had initially hoped to stay with Nimes.
Now, however, he is ready to leave behind his, “beautiful adventure” with his boyhood club – and is excited for a new challenge elsewhere.
“For me, it's going to be a big change. It will be a whole new life, even, and I have already prepared myself in my head,” he said. “An experience outside France? Why not? I am clearly open to that, too.”
Could he move elsewhere in France, though?
He might – he’s also reportedly attracted the attention of Lens, Angers, and Brest. The latter two clubs have finished this campaign in mid-table while Lens are returning to the top flight after a five-year absence.
When does his contract expire?
His contract expires at the end of June - meaning City wouldn’t have to worry about hacking into this summer’s transfer budget, although wages will need to be tempered in light of the financial restrictions that will be placed on clubs post-coronavirus lockdown.
So what does that mean for Bristol City?
If Valls is a genuine target which, at this stage, is difficult to establish, it would indicate Lee Johnson is considering off-loading one of his many defensive midfield options, albeit with no obvious candidate for departure.
Given his talent, unless a major club comes in for Han-Noah Massengo the French teenager is guaranteed a place for next season but fellow summer 2019 arrival Adam Nagy has struggled due to injury issues.
Korey Smith's contract situation leaves him vulnerable, with the Robins stalwart a free agent at the end of June. Although the 29-year-old is the only genuinely experienced head, in terms of Championship football, in a young midfield unit.
Joe Morrell and Liam Walsh are returning on loan from Lincoln and Coventry and the expectation is that at least one, maybe both, will be part of Johnson's first-team plans for next season.
All this considered, there isn't a great deal from Valls that indicates he's considerably better than what City have got; whether that be Smith, Nagy, Massengo, Walsh or Morrell - unless the need is to replace one or more of them.
