'We are always trying to innovate'

The competition is fierce in the modern transfer market, and that is no different in South America. 

A hotbed of footballing talent, it’s the top clubs in Brazil and Argentina who are traditionally the first in the continent to make marquee signings and player sales to Europe. 

So that makes the job of a Sporting Director at a club outside of South America’s top two football nations harder, especially if they are relying on a limited network of contacts and are competing against high-profile rivals to showcase their talents overseas. 

But innovative clubs across the continent have turned to TransferRoom to open up their network and showcase their talents on a global scale, to understand exactly what other clubs want and target the right clubs to buy and sell their players to, and not just their most high-profile stars.

Caracas Fútbol Club have become the first Venezuelan members of world football’s marketplace, joining a fast-growing network of South American clubs on the platform.

That paved the way for all 31 Venezuelan Liga FUTVE clubs to join the platform in a landmark league agreement with TransferRoom.

“It’s a privilege,” says Miguel Mea Vitali, the Sporting Director at Caracas FC, the team with the most top-flight titles in Venezuela.

“Caracas Fútbol Club is always trying to innovate, setting the tone day by day,” he adds in the video below. “We have to be prepared and up-to-date because football advances and Venezuelan football can't stay behind. We want to stay alert to every detail to ensure the growth of this great institution. 

“Having the possibility to be close to around 700 clubs at international level and to promote our players makes TransferRoom an extremely valuable tool which we want to make the most of.”

“There are many benefits for us to be part of TransferRoom. We all know that a big part of Caracas FC’s strategy is to sell its players and promote our talents. Being able to do this through the platform is of great benefit. Also, for me in particular and for the manager and his staff, it’s an opportunity to acquire profiles of players that we are looking for.”

Caracas FC can take inspiration from clubs like Chile's CD Magallanes, who used TransferRoom to make history with their $3m transfer of Marcelo Allende to South Africa's Mamelodi Sundowns, while Peru’s Club Sporting Cristal utilised the platform’s Plus Pitch feature to move winger Washington Corozo to Austin FC in Major League Soccer.

Like many of their South American rivals, developing players at their academy is crucial for Caracas FC, and TransferRoom allows them to not only help maximise interest in their players but also to make signings to supplement their youth intake.

“The season is long and we always have to deal with some injuries or the sales of players. These are the main challenges,” Vitali adds.

“We also rely on our youth academy a lot, so if we don’t find the players we need for our first team there then we will use TransferRoom, which will be a particularly important tool for us. 

“TransferRoom’s platform enables us to look for a specific profile, including specific characteristics, thanks to its player filters. The other way around, we can use those filters to find out what the type of players other teams are looking for and offer our players.

“We are open to any markets. We all aspire for and look for opportunities to be in Europe. It’s the dream that all the players have but we can’t discard any market here in South America, Central America… We also look at the US market a lot.

“We are open and Caracas FC is looking at all markets when there is a good opportunity which can serve the club, both on a sporting level and economically.”

It's not the first time a Venezuelan club has benefited from business through TransferRoom, with Moussa Bagayoko joining Carabobo FC to fulfil his dream of playing in the Copa Libertadores, thanks to Trusted Agency Berlin Sports - Bridge for Talents.