We’re at a point in this save where I can really take some gambles on recruitment and the recruitment foci I set. Africa is a place where I’ve had a few successes during this save but going forward I want to start phasing out South American wonderkids as my go to and look more towards the much cheaper and untapped Africa market. I’ve had to adjust the base lines for what is “acceptable” As my scouts pretty much gave all the Africans a “D” or less on the scout card but I’m confident with my development ability we can turn some into top talents.
But first a season round up.
A 4th title in a row was secured.
Cups we didn’t do so well in. Champions League saw us reach the Quarter finals. We came runners up in the 3 domestic cup competitions.
Once again though a great season sees interest in our players increase with bigger clubs with deep pockets circling.
Another summer of sales €400m of talent sold from the first team. Starting RB joins Arsenal. Defensive midfielder Lazic leaves for Juventus, LWB Rojas leaves for INTER, Our GK Sandoval leaves for ARsenal making my signing of a new GK look smarter. Gianfranceso leaves for Dortmund. Backup striker Burnett leaves for Newcastle before City poach my next wonderkid Bastos. Finally Herrera leaves for Chelsea.
The only other signing we made this summer was Pelin, A Young Croatian CB from NK LokoMotiva for €400k.
Scouting Africa
I really wanted to dive into Africa for some young talent to develop. The scouts found 9 players for me to bring to the club.
Diallo joins us for €175k from Generation Foot in Senegal. A 17 year old Goalkeeper.
Okoubi Joins for €425k from ASEC Mimosas in Ivory Coast
Traore Is another I picked up from Ivory Coast. A low cost fee of €125k
My scouts highlighted Pogba, A flying left back in Guinea with a release clause of €41.5k.
A free signing from Tunisia, Young Midfielder Ayari joins us from Es Rades
Another young midfielder Traore joins us on a free from Ivory Coast.
Ivory Coast seems to be the hotbed of African talent as we picked up Djedje for €5.75k.
€135k was spent on young Ivory Coast Left Winger Kouyate.
Our most expensive and youngest signing was Mohammed, a 16 year old dual footed Nigerian winger he cost €600k.
Other signings
It doesn’t stop there. We are still searching the world for talent to develop. Our turnover of players leaving is so high we still need talent coming in. These will be joining us in the next 18 months. Gradually my plan is to focus just on Africa and Portugal but I had already agreed most of these before setting that focus.
A free signing from Bolivia sees another Goalkeeper join the club.
17 year old Brazilian CB will join us in the summer when he is 18. He will cost €6.25m
16 year old CB joins from Bochum for €17.5m
Young American Gomez joins on a free from Orlando City.
Young Ukrainian centre back joins for €15.25m from Dynamo Kyiv
€2.7m has been spent on signing young Israel Right back Shemesh from Maccabi Tel-Aviv.
Canadian Left Back will join in 18 months on a Free from Vancouver Whitecaps.
€4m was spent on Mexican Left Back Gomez from America
21 year old Defensive Midfielder Martinez will join this winter for €5.5m
16 year old Spanish midfielder Merino joins us for €4m
€4.8m is the fee for the next Chilean superstar Araya from Colo Colo.
Belgian Winger Masuku joins us this summer from Standard for €21.5m
Viscardi will join this winter for €11.75m
Brazilian Attacking Midfielder will join this winter for €16.25,
Another Mexican, Sanchez joins from Pachuca for €10m.
Another American joins us on a free, Young Attacking Midfielder from Union Academy.
€18.75m is the fee spent here on Serbian Attacking Midfielder Mladenovic from Austria Wein
€5.25m was spent on 16 year old Kabongo-Mayele from Rennes
€6m on a new striker, Another Serbian. Cvetkovic joins from Nurnberg.
Turkish 18 year old striker will join for €16.25m
Beligian Striker Gervasio will join us from Genk for €27.5m
RB Leipzig 19 year old striker will join us for €40m rising to €64m becoming our most expensive signing
PSG signed Konig from Bayern at 16 years old for 13.25m, He’s mainly been in their 2nd team but made 11 first team appearances. He gets a second chance as we sign him for €15m.
You might be thinking I’m just stock piling talent, to a certain extent I am because the rate of turnover with players developing and being poached I need to sign players now to be in the first team in 2-3 seasons and hopefully get homegrown status to help with Europe. As you can see here in Winter the big clubs have come out again for my players.
€380.5m worth of talent sold. Our star striker in Mertoglu, Attacking Midfielder in Alberto. Flying Winger Lopez and Star CB Da Silva. Tejada had emerged as perfect foil for Mertoglu and Sifuentes wanted out due to gametime. Alberto’s Midfield partner Dall leaves too.
Leaves big holes allover the pitch to fill with promoting players or recalling loans. Thats 15 players that have left in 2 windows for €780.5m, 30 joined for €243m. A big profit and a lot younger base of players coming in.
It Makes our starting XI look like this…
Loving the series, please could you share the recruitment focus you have set up for Africa?? I’m also managing in the Portuguese league (as academica) and would love to do similar with african recruitment as we’re a much smaller side so the cheaper options will be great.
Thanks!
Thanks! I set it for 15-19, minimum grey star on both potential and current abilities. Then set for african regions or competitions. I make sure the scouts selected have knowledge of Africa.
How do you go about and set up your African scouting? Thanks