Torino Talent Spotter To Join Sunderland Scouting Team

According to reports in Turin, Torino's chief scout Antonio D'Ottavio has resigned from his position at the Serie A club to join Valentino Angeloni's new-look scouting team at Sunderland.

Details are relatively sparse on D'Ottavio at this point, though he is considered a top authority on Argentinian football and South American football in general, which very neatly fits in with the club's desire to equip themselves to exploit the more obscure and cash-strapped corners of the footballing globe.

Sunderland's scouting system is undergoing a radical overhaul this summer under the guidance of Angeloni and recently appointed Director of Football Roberto De Fanti.

Bryan 'Pop' Robson, who left his position heading up The Black Cats' recruitment team towards the end of last season, has publicly cited a disagreement over the direction the club are taking with the process moving forward.

Robson favoured the domestic market and believed top level clubs with the best academies have a responsibility to develop homegrown talent. Whilst that would be nice in an ideal world, the harsh realities of survival at the top render such ideas luxuries that can no longer be indulged.

That has prompted a very clear change of policy, with the outdated system that relied mostly upon part-time scouts and a network of loose contacts making recommendations replaced by a number of dedicated full time talent-spotters.

It appears that D'Ottavio is to join those ranks. Let's hope he has a gem or two up his sleeve.