All eyes on Nico Paz against Manchester United this evening. But more eyes should be on the third-tier leagues, where he proved his talent. In Spain, the environment is different due to the reserve teams that compete. But scouting and watching these third-tier competitions can help clubs spot top-tier talent earlier. Yes, Como ended up having to pay a substantial amount to keep Nico Paz. But the initial deal, cut with a sell-on fee, was relatively cheap and gave them the opportunity to convince the player to join the club long-term. Read more about mining the third tiers in our latest @SkillCorner analysis: scoutedftbl.com/mining-third…

As prices go up, scouts must go down. The transfer market has split into four and young players are more expensive than ever before. For clubs looking to find value, remain competitive and take advantage of the increasing demand for young prospects, they must keep a close eye on the Big Five third tiers. Using @SkillCorner data, we have identified key attributes that are travelling up the ladder. These players are surviving the jump and, unsurprisingly, they cost less. Whether signing genuine third-tier breakouts, jumping early on a reserve player, or monitoring a successful loan spell, there is value and talent in abundance. Not every third tier is the same. England, France, Spain, Italy and Germany all have their quirks and traps. But keeping tabs on this enormous pool of young talent is becoming increasingly important as the Premier League spending fractures the market further. All of this and more in our latest data dive: scoutedftbl.com/mining-third…