The Osorio pathway to Europe

Dario Osorio, 22, was tracked by AC Milan, RB Leipzig and Salzburg as a teenager at Universidad de Chile before joining Midtjylland at 19. He's now on loan at Crystal Palace with a £24m option to buy.

“When we signed Dario Osorio, it was not because no-one knew about him.”

Midtjylland's analytics revolution

Midtjylland, where Brentford owner Matthew Benham was majority stakeholder from 2014 to 2023, combines classic scouting with data analytics to identify young talent across multiple pathways.

“We work on both pathways. We have subjective scouting, more classic video scouting, live scouting, a network, people we trust in the club and also our partners. And then we have the data scouting.”

Hidden gems are now rare

The combination of global footage availability, data analytics and artificial intelligence means Premier League clubs have coverage of most emerging talent worldwide. Truly undiscovered players are increasingly uncommon.

“That hidden gem kind of thing almost does not exist any more in football. Sometimes it does, but it's rare.”

Eyeball tracks 400,000 young players

Eyeball, a scouting platform founded five years ago, monitors over 400,000 players aged 13 to 21 across 42 global markets. More than 60% of European top-five league clubs use it, including most Premier League sides.

Data-driven recruitment transforms scouting

Eyeball captures over 2,000 data points per match from amateur clubs and elite academies, allowing analysts to search for players matching specific profiles like 'find me a player like Ashley Cole'.

Data supplements human judgment

While data provides objective analysis, scouts still need to assess cultural fit, family background and whether players suit a club's playing style. Speed of decision-making is itself a competitive advantage.

“We cannot just turn on the computer and it tell us who to sign and then we go sign them.”

Uzbekistan emerges as talent source

Uzbekistan, which played in its first World Cup this summer, is now recognised as an emerging talent market. Manchester City defender Abdukodir Khusanov, 22, featured for the debutants.

Japan's youth development model

Japan's grassroots-to-professional pathway is a 'guiding star' for youth development. The system makes identifying young Japanese prospects more complex for European clubs.

Latin America's protective approach

Brazilian clubs reject thousands of young players to develop select prospects. They're protective of assets but allow players to leave at the right age so clubs benefit locally.

Africa's visibility problem

Thousands of talented African players may have missed big moves due to lack of visibility. Recording games and creating footage creates opportunities for discovery across the continent.

Delphlyx unlocks West African talent

Delphlyx works with Premier League clubs to track 19,000 players aged 14 to 21 in West Africa through data, live scouting and private tournaments. Clubs can now watch and organise trials from London.

“We have over 19,000 players in Africa on our platform that you could just sit right here in London and watch, then pick up the phone, call one of them and organise a trial or a transfer.”

Benin's emerging football infrastructure

Benin has invested federation grants in football infrastructure and pitches. The country has produced 15-year-old Romaine Gandonou, who played at the Under-20 World Cup and attracted interest from PSG and Barcelona.

African talent pathways through Europe

Young African players often move to Scandinavian or other European clubs first due to work permit restrictions. Senegalese defender Mor Talla Ndiaye, 18, joined Liverpool from Amitie after impressing at the Under-17 World Cup.

Right to Dream's Danish pathway

Right to Dream academy, founded in Ghana in 1999 by former Manchester United scout Tom Vernon, bought Danish club Nordsjaelland seven years ago. It has developed Mohammed Kudus, Simon Adingra and Kamaldeen Sulemana.

Midtjylland as Silicon Valley for talent

Midtjylland positions itself as a development hub where young players focus solely on their careers. The club has produced numerous prospects sold to bigger clubs, from Franculino to Ousmane Diomande.

“I see Midtjylland a bit like Silicon Valley for tech companies - we have produced so much talent over the years.”

Paris youth leagues unearth talent

France's unique national youth league system pits amateur sides against professional academies. ES Nanterre won Championnat National Group B ahead of Champions League clubs Lens and Lille.

Riyad Mahrez's amateur route

Riyad Mahrez played for amateur side AAS Sarcelles until age 18 before joining Le Havre at 19. Forward Exauce Luyindula, the division's top scorer, has since joined Ligue 2 Guingamp.

Best young players aren't always obvious

Many top players at age 12 aren't the best at 18. Paris's high concentration of talent means the best players aren't necessarily in national systems, offering opportunities for discovery.

“A lot of the time that can be right, but also statistically the best players at 12 aren't always the best players at 18.”