Valencia is considering Baptiste Santamaría as their primary option to strengthen their midfield, which has been weakened following Enzo Barrenechea's departure. The club is reportedly in advanced discussions to acquire the French midfielder from Rennes. Although Santamaría's contract runs until 2026, the transfer is not expected to be overly expensive for Valencia, despite their financial constraints. Last season, Santamaría was on loan to Nice, where he played regularly but did not consistently start. The potential acquisition of Santamaría is anticipated to increase competition in Valencia's midfield, where currently only Pepelu and Javi Guerra are available. Valencia has turned down a €10 million bid from Besiktas for Pepelu and is in the process of negotiating a contract extension with Javi Guerra. Santamaría, known for his defensive skills and good ball handling, is expected to complement Javi Guerra rather than Pepelu. Should the transfer go through, Santamaría would become Valencia's fourth signing, following Agirrezabala, Raba, and Copete.