When it comes to recruitment, no football club lacks information in the 21st century. The big clubs have more analysts than NASA.

At Manchester United, they try to sift through the reams of data via a bespoke scouting system that pulls together reports on thousands of matches around the world and as many as 14,000 players, many of them teenagers.

Having fixed on a position to strengthen, the data bank creates a list of 50 names which, from September to the end of October, the technical team narrow down to 15. A managerial veto removes another three. Further scouting and study creates a target list of a top three by February.

From there, contractual situations and availability are established. More checks are done not just