Maximising time and money on identifying players

Scouting for the best talent is a crucial part of a football club’s strategy.

But scouts can often waste time and money scouring the globe for the best talent if they don’t know which players are available and within the club’s budget in advance of their travels.

This has traditionally been difficult, with clubs relying on intermediaries and third-party information to determine which players are feasible targets.

But Sint-Truidense V.V. in Belgium’s top flight, the Jupiler Pro League, have found a way to get instant access to player availability, clubs’ market needs and direct contact with the transfer market decision makers.

They have joined TransferRoom, world football’s digital marketplace which includes over 700 clubs and 400 verified Trusted Agencies.

"We had the budget for an extra scout but we decided to invest in TransferRoom," Andre Pinto, STVV's Sporting Director, said in the video below.

"We already have scouts, and instead of an extra scout, we thought that dealing directly with clubs, being able to pitch players and being able to also find players that we want to sign could be just as profitable."

It’s been six years in the making for STVV, with the budget now available to invest in opening up the global transfer market and expanding their international network like never before. 

"Sometimes with scouts, they go and see a player, they like a player but then we don't know if this player is available or not," Pinto, who was speaking at November 2023's TransferRoom Summit in Lisbon, added.

"We are looking for a striker, for example. We already get a list of strikers  directly from the club, so we know that the club wants to negotiate for these strikers. So it's a lot easier.

"Of course, when you are a bigger club and you have the money, the resources... you like the player and you can immediately afford them. That's not the case for us.

"We have to hunt more for these players and TransferRoom really helps us to maximise our search."

STVV are one of 13 clubs from Belgium’s 16-team top flight on TransferRoom, and they can take inspiration from the likes of OH Leuven, who landed SC Braga striker Mario González for what turned out to be a prolific loan spell after the Portuguese club made him available on the platform.