How Bundesliga side RB Leipzig use data to scout for talent

Red Bull Leipzig head of sport Marcel Schäfer has given insights into how the Bundeliga club uses data and video analysis to recruit some of the finest young talent around the world.

In recent years the ambitious club has developed some of the best young players who arrived on the cheap and left on big-money transfers.

Among notable names who went on to join bigger clubs like Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Manchester City are Timo Werner, Dayot Upamecano, Ibrahim Konate, Christopher Nkunku and Josko Gvardiol.

Schäfer explained Leipzig has an extensive scouting network where they use various forms of looking for talent, including in South Africa.

“We look at every country around the world. There are certain countries where we know the league is at a certain level,” he said, adding that South Africa has huge potential.

“People are passionate about soccer in South Africa, but there must be investment in academies. If you want to bring young players to top leagues in Europe, they need to have the basic and right education.”

Leipzig are coming to South Africa next month to play against Mamelodi Sundowns in an off-season friendly match at Lucas Moripe Stadium, and some of the Brazilians’ younger players — such as Malibongwe Khoza, Siyabonga Mabena and Kutlwano Letlhaku — could have an opportunity to catch the eye.

Schäfer said Red Bull signed highly rated young Ivory Coast attacker Yan Diomande, who is being linked to big clubs including Liverpool, after extensive data and video analysis.

“As a club, our goal is not only to work on development, but we want to always be competitive in the Champions League.

“We have key markets, but scouting has changed a lot over the years. We use a lot of data, which is the basis for our scouting department. Even for Diomande we used data, because we have clear KPIs [key performance indicators] for every position.”

Though data is valuable, Schäfer said it must be supplemented by tried and tested scouting systems.

“There is video and live scouting. We use all the tools that we can because data can be risky. We deal with humans and characters. If you want to sign a player with leadership characteristics, how do you do that with data?

“It is important to try and get as much information about the person and his character as you can.

If a player and his family feel comfortable and totally free, they can totally focus on the work for their dreams. This is something we definitely have to find out. Next to the data, it is more and more important

—  Marcel Schäfer, RB Leipzig head of sport

“There’s no guarantee that everything is 100% confirmed and clear. If you have been in the business for 25 years, you will have people from other countries where you can get information about players and every club does that.

“You always have conversations with agents, players and their families. There is social media, because they present themselves there. It is not just the players but their families, wives and girlfriends.

“This is always something we consider because we will not only sign players, but what we always want to do is create a win-win situation for all parties.

“We want to have a supportive commitment; we want to have players who feel comfortable here in Leipzig and appreciate our circumstances here with the club, with the city.

“We all know that if a player and his family feel comfortable and totally free, they can totally focus on the work for their dreams. This is something we definitely have to find out. Next to the data, it is more and more important.”

TimesLIVE

• Mahlatse Mphahlele is in Germany as a guest of Red Bull Leipzig.