SCOUTED

We've been quiet recently so @tomocurr has written a brief editiorial update to fill you all in on everything that has been happening behind the scenes at SCOUTED, from Volume II and fancy conferences to an exciting new scouting project. Find out more: bit.ly/4lMb1Ug

Eli Junior Kroupi hitting the corners once again. You're not saving penalties like that, even if you dive the right way. His ball-striking technique as a finisher is different level.

Nathan De Cat has received his first call-up to the senior Belgium squad. The first of many.

Kees Smit has received his first call-up to the senior Netherlands squad. The first of many.

Introducing Said El Mala. The 19-year-old 1. FC Köln winger is fast becoming one of the breakout stars of the Bundesliga. His direct and destructive dribbling changing games and demanding the attention of Europe's plushest clubs. @ffwtbollew broke down his skillset. Link below.

@htomufc He intentionally gave the ball away just so he can win it back again and do that. Bloke loves hassling and harrying. Definition of relentless.

FROHOLDTT fuckin hell

Johan Manzambi is a proper midfielder.

Konstantinos Karetsas takes the piss out of defenders at times. Sucks them in with his provocative stop-start style then jinks past with a quick change of direction and sharp shift of tempo, all with the outstanding technical quality to take the ball with him. Fun to watch.

Femi Azeez: the £1m signing that’s the Championship's Most Valuable Player. #millwallfc

Stade Reims signed Patrick Zabi for €100k from Ivoire FC in January 2025 and sold him to Paris FC for €25 million in February 2026, the second-biggest sale in club history. That is a 24,900% profit after just over twelve months and 26 first-team appearances. Insane.

The ability to not only absorb pressure but flip it into positive situations is a key trait we look for. Lewis Hall is providing a clinic at Camp Nou.

Nothing against Mamadou Sarr, we like him, but what has he done to deserve more opportunities than Josh Acheampong? The obvious explanation is that he cost €14 million. Clubs should trust their own first and foremost.

🦩Finish like a flamingo🦩

Those that got their eyes on SCOUTED50 2026 will be ahead of the curve with Jens Hjertø-Dahl. He ranked #48 on our list of breakout talents to watch this season, alongside the likes of Yan Diomandé, Rio Ngumoha and more. Dig into the full list: bit.ly/3KCMBys

20-year-old Jens Hjertø-Dahl kicked off the new Eliteserien season with an unlikely hat-trick against Fredrikstad, his first in senior football. Approaching 100 appearances for hometown club Tromsø IL already, his burgeoning development has flown under the radar as he enters his fourth top-flight season. His profile is unusual too: very tall with spindly limbs, he started out as a pivot midfielder that idolised Sergio Busquets but has since carved a niche as an attack-minded midfielder in a team that plays technical football. He takes the ball between lines, finds angles to pass, slips tackles with inventive touches, and breaks beyond. His deft skillset belies his lanky physique. He genuinely reminded us a little bit of Abou Diaby when we first watched him. We were surprised there wasn't more talk around a transfer in the winter just been, but these should be his final months at Tromsø for the foreseeable. Keep tabs on him.

Why we get players wrong, and how to get them right. Back in late 2023, @billycarpy took us on an odyssey through Descartes, Don Carlo and De Visser in search of clearer thinking and better scouting. If players improve, so can we. This is Mind Games: bit.ly/47215zK

A young Dimitar Berbatov at Bayer Leverkusen.

It would have been easy for Pietuszewski to sign for one of the elite European clubs – but he backed his own ability by choosing Porto and, after less than two months in Portugal, it has already paid off. He is in the ideal place to develop as a player and earn the next step.

Porto is proving to be the ideal platform for Oskar Pietuszewski, the 17-year-old winger they bought for €8 million from Poland this winter. The big Portuguese clubs are perfect for wingers of his skillset: quick dribblers that angle into the box to shoot. Plenty more to come.

@mazzalean8 Typo, good spot.

@scoutedftbl Marcel Reguła will be next, need to follow him. One thing correct name is *Pietuszewski.