Scouts

I was watching the Japan v Brazil game the other day and they said 8 of the Japan team were playing in Germany and one in the Prem (who was signed from a German club). Germany, Spain Portugal and Italy also seem to be signing lots of quality players from outside their borders and then selling them to the Prem for massive profit. Do these countries have better scouting systems than England or do clubs feel it's easier to pay the big money instead of investing in youth, regardless of where the youth player might be from?

Top quality youth players are contracted to major clubs by the time they hit pubescence these days - that was the secret of Ferguson's success. In the early years they were signing 30 or 40 top kids from around the globe, letting them stay with their club whilst they developed and then gradually filtered out the ones they didn't want like Eagles and Savage. The ones that had promise and weren't dumped at a younger age were sent out on loan so United didn't even have to pay their wages. Then they were sold or sacked. Chances of picking up top quality youngsters are slim, but you never know - some slip through the net and mature at a later point.