Chelsea announced a five-year deal with AiScout on Monday, referred to as "the world’s first fully automated talent analysis and development platform" As detailed in a statement, the new technology will become "an integral part of the club’s recruitment and scouting process for academy players over the next five years.".
Football.London was invited to Cobham last week to tour around AiScout's mobile "Elite Performance lab" a mobile structure only a walk from the training pitches. Pictured in the announcement was Jim Fraser, Head of Youth Recruitment and Assistant Head of Youth Development at Chelsea FC, along with Ben Smith, Head of Research and Innovation at the club.
"It's not about forgetting the older scouts, the older generation." Fraser states from the off. "It's not that at all as they have a definite feel for footballers and talent and they can spot that. We wouldn't want to go ''we don't want you anymore because it's all about data and technology and sport science'.
