Man City's data-driven squad rebuild revealed
Manchester City's data team uses a database of 650,000 players to guide recruitment and sales, focusing on reducing risk. The club's sporting director says data is one part of the picture alongside traditional scouting. Only four players remain from the Treble-winning squad of 2023.
City's recruitment process begins with a database of 650,000 players, which is then filtered through position-specific briefs and ability grades to produce a shortlist of 20 to 50 candidates. Each player is assessed on ability, overall characteristics, their current team's system, and the manager's tactical demands, with the goal of projecting future development at the Etihad.
The club's approach balances quantitative metrics with traditional scouting, as sporting director Hugo Viana emphasized that data cannot capture character or mentality. Notable examples include the £116m signing of Elliot Anderson and the case of Juventus's Andrea Cambiaso, whose data profile impressed but ultimately did not result in a transfer. Only four players remain from the 2023 Treble-winning squad.
This story may signal a broader shift in how football clubs evaluate talent, potentially affecting players, agents, and fans alike. As data-driven methods become more prominent, players could face increased scrutiny beyond on-field performance, while smaller clubs may struggle to compete with sophisticated analytics operations. Supporters may see more calculated, less romantic transfer decisions, though the continued emphasis on traditional scouting suggests human judgment remains essential to the sport's character.