Sunderland boss, Tony Mowbray has opened up about the club’s scouting and recruitment process moving forward.
The Black Cats made 11 signings this summer from eight different leagues showing the variety in the scouting system.
Under Mowbray, the club hasn’t been afraid to make signings from abroad in order to replace outgoing stars.
A good example of this is Ross Stewart being replaced by Mason Burstow and Luis Semedo, both aged just 20.
So far this has been successful, but how may it change moving forward?
What has Tony Mowbray said?
Opening up about the current scouting practices, Mowbray has given a peak behind the curtain.
Discussing current plans, he said: “I was talking to Stuart Harvey (head of player recruitment) in my office the other day. I think he’s taking three days off, then he’s away all around the world.
“He was telling me the countries he’s booked into. He’s going to South America, then back to various parts of Europe, he’s going everywhere.”
Some may question why such places are being looked at. It is a method that has worked well for many clubs.
Answering that question, Mowbray said: “Why do you do that? Because if we have a scenario where we sell someone for £20m, then we have to be able to buy a £5m footballer somewhere, not a £600,000 player from Ligue 2 in France.
“We have to be able to improve and keep the team really strong.”
Although you would imagine Mowbray has a say on transfers but he doesn’t see it as his responsibility.
On that, he said: “I don’t lose sleep at night about who’s going to buy our players or come in with bids for our players.
“That’s not my job to worry about that. It will be the owner’s and the club’s decision about whether they think the money that someone is offering is worth doing a deal for.”
It is a promising time for Sunderland fans and for incoming players. Who knows who could be lining up at the Stadium of Light soon.