While Dundalk FC are not exactly complete unknowns in Europe, thanks to two group stage appearances in the UEFA Europa League in the last five seasons, their involvement with TransferRoom has thrown the spotlight on their squad.

Bill Hulsizer, Chairman of Dundalk FC, said: “What I think TransferRoom enables the soccer world to do is introduce players that may never come to light because they are in a little town in Ireland where there is little or no media. So unless somebody who knows somebody happens to see them, while they are going to continue to play football, have fun and make a little money, they are never going to play in the first division in France, for example.

“But now we deal directly with a French team and suddenly we are also negotiating with them for one of their players.

“I don't know how else to describe it, but the richest clubs have treated us like an equal. I think the game of football has a levelling effect on everybody involved in it.”

Dundalk FC has been under the ownership of a consortium of United States-based investors led by Peak6 Investments, since January 2018.

Hulsizer, who lives in Miami, is the father of Peak6 owner Matt, and has been building his football knowledge and network through TransferRoom.

He said: “At the last virtual meeting, I spoke to 10 Sporting Directors, Chairmen or Recruitment Directors from very big clubs and very small clubs... But we’re all in the same business and we all have the same problems to a larger or smaller degree: ‘how do we develop our club and our players?’

“What TransferRoom has done for us is open up access to clubs I didn’t even know the names of and a lot of those clubs are in the same boat as us. It has allowed us to talk to people that have the same issues.

“Come the transfer window opening, we will have done the research of what our needs are, and we have located some clubs that have players that are legitimate targets. That's a first for Dundalk.”