Why Premier League scouts are targeting players that they think won’t make it, Arsenal star set for bumper pay rise and Wayne Rooney’s Beckham-style documentary with Coleen: THE SAMI MOKBEL COLUMN

Premier League talent scouts are being instructed to identify players who can help their clubs comply with football’s stringent financial regulations, Mail Sport has learned.

Traditionally, scouts assess a footballer’s potential or ability to ultimately be successful at first-team level. However, it is understood recruitment specialists are being advised to be more flexible in their grading of players, in order to meet the top flight’s Profit and Sustainability Rules.

Talent-spotters from top-flight sides are being advised to keep an eye out for players who not only appear to have the capacity to play regularly for their respective senior teams, but also ones they believe can be developed and sold to aid their efforts to meet profit and sustainability targets.

Pertinently, rules allow clubs to register player sales as ‘pure profit’ on their balance sheets if they have emerged through their academies.

A regional scout for a Premier League side told Mail Sport: ‘The capacity for players to eventually make it into the first-team is no longer the be-all-and-end-all.

‘If there is potential to sign a player that isn’t necessarily striking to the eye but – with the right coaching – could be sold on because it will help on the balance sheet, then those sort of players we are being told to consider, too.’

Young talents like Man United’s Chido Obi Martin – recently poached from Arsenal – represent pure profit for clubs

A sporting director added: ‘It’s clear to see which clubs are doing it, generally the bigger clubs that can afford to take those chances.

‘We all watch the same players, and players we would pass up end up signing for much bigger clubs. They take them on from Under 14 level and then sell them on between 19 and 21.’

It is a development that may raise alarm for young footballers and their families. Top clubs stockpiling talent isn’t a necessarily a new trend, as teams have long searched far and wide for the best available talent to go into their respective academies. But generally this was always with a realistic prospect of making it at first-team level.

Of course, academy players often fall by the wayside and fail to make the grade. But signing players with little likelihood that they will ever become first-team players is a worrying development.

Effectively, young hopefuls are being viewed as financial vehicles. That is a dangerous game.

‘If we bring in a young player I’ve recommended, and we manage to sell him on for £1million then I’ve done my job,’ added the scout.

The alternative view is that even if players are signed on the pretence of simply being moved on, it still provides young footballers with a foot in the door.

‘A young player with a Premier League academy upbringing will generally be attractive to clubs lower down the pyramid,’ said a source.

Eyebrows were raised when Chelsea moved for the untested Aston Villa prospect Omari Kellyman this summer

Cobham graduates like Alfie Gilchrist are keen to prove themselves at lower-tier clubs before fighting for a spot in the first team

‘Provided clubs are being honest with those players about their expectations, such situations could still work out for a young player.’

It’s a fair point. While players may be signed without any intention of them making the grade at senior level, if they then go on to a career in professional football away from the glamour of the Premier League, it isn’t to be sniffed at. While in a top-flight academy, they will of course train with better players, in better facilities, with supposedly better coaches, and likely earn more money while doing it, too.

Though you can’t help but worry that young footballers are being sold the Earth, only to be set up for a fall.

FA serves up diversity drive 

The FA have turned to tennis legend Serena Williams’ entrepreneur husband in their efforts to drive diversity in English football.

Mail Sport can reveal that Alexis Ohanian – who married 23-time Grand Slam winner Williams in 2017 – was among the expert speakers drafted into to address attendees of the covert Football Leadership Summit, held in conjunction with the Premier League, EFL and Women’s Professional Leagues, at Wembley last week.

The function, which was attended by senior representatives from Premier League and EFL clubs, was not advertised before or after the event and organised with a view to promoting positive change in professional football.

Other than his marriage to Williams, Ohanian is best known as being a co-founder and former executive chairman of the social media site Reddit.

The 41-year-old has taken steps into the equality, diversity and inclusion space in recent years and was part of the bill during last Tuesday’s event at the national stadium.

Serena Williams’ husband Alexis Ohanian has been tipped by the FA to contribute to their diversity drive

Reddit co-founder has broken into the equality, diversity and inclusion space in recent years

Speaking alongside his superstar spouse in 2020, Ohanian said: ‘We need diversity at the highest levels of business now more than ever.

‘I think if every company took a look around their board rooms on Monday and really had the honest, hard conversations, and said, “Are we doing the best by our customers, by our team and by our shareholders with this board makeup?” I think we’d see more change.’

Meanwhile, FA chairman Debbie Hewitt paid tribute to Lord Herman Ouseley ahead of England’s 5-0 win over the Republic of Ireland last week.

Hewitt gave a touching speech in memory of equalities pioneer Lord Ouseley, who passed away in October, in the Wembley suite before kick-off. Members of Lord Ouseley’s family were in attendance.

Gunners to tempt Trossard with pay rise 

Arsenal are in talks with Leandro Trossard over a new contract with a significant pay increase as reward for his impact since arriving from Brighton.

The Belgium international, who is recovering from a knock suffered while playing for Belgium this week, signed a four-year deal in January 2023, worth £90,000 a week. But his new wages will surge into six figures if an agreement can be reached.

Trossard has proved an important player for Mikel Arteta since his arrival from the south coast and the Gunners want to reward the 29-year-old for his performances.

The attacker attracted interest from Saudi Arabia in the previous transfer window, but Arsenal point blank refused to let him leave given his importance.

Leandro Trossard is set to be rewarded for his strong performances for Arsenal with a new deal

Mikel Arteta drafted in the Belgium forward to super-charge their title bid two seasons ago

Meanwhile, there is some hope that Trossard has not suffered serious injury despite being substituted during the first half of Belgium’s clash against Israel on Monday night.

Trossard looked in some discomfort as he tried to shake off the knock. But the is some hope the issue is just severe bruising – though it remains to be seen whether he can shake off the problem in time to face Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

Elsewhere, Bukayo Saka, who picked up a thigh issue against Chelsea that caused him to miss England’s fixtures versus Greece and Ireland, is in a race against time to prove his fitness for Forest.

Wrexham burnish their Premier League credentials  

Kolo Toure’s son Yassine is training with League One side Wrexham, Mail Sport can reveal.

Toure Jnr, 18, has spent spells with the Celtic and Leicester academies as he follows his father’s route into the game.

The teenager – a right-sided attacker – is yet to make his first-team breakthrough, but is currently working with Wrexham amid hope of securing a contract with Phil Parkinson’s high-profile outfit.

Backed by Hollywood duo Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, the Welsh club are gunning for promotion into the Championship, and are currently third in League One.

Kolo, an academy coach at Manchester City, is currently splitting his time between Manchester and the Midlands.

English sides scoff at Kane’s calls for a winter break 

The irony of Harry Kane’s calls for the Premier League to reintroduce a winter break, just days after appearing to take a dig at players who dropped out of England duty last week, has not gone unnoticed by Premier League clubs.

The England captain expressed his disappointment last week at the raft of withdrawals for the games versus Greece and Ireland.

However, in media briefings on Saturday, three days after his explosive interview with ITV was aired, Kane – when asked about his own potential fitness issues ahead of his expected participation in next summer’s Club World Cup with Bayern Munich – pointed to the fact he will have a winter break with the Bundesliga as a reason why he doesn’t necessarily fear burnout next summer.

He then went on to add that a Premier League winter break would be beneficial.

But his comments have been scoffed at by representatives of Premier League sides, who noted Kane appeared to criticise certain players for withdrawing from the England squad only to then talk of the benefits of his own winter break with Bayern, who also play four fewer league games a season in the Bundesliga than their Premier League counterparts.

Lights, camera, Plymouth! 

As news emerged this week of a behind-the-scenes documentary charting Wayne Rooney’ first season in charge at Plymouth, Mail Sport can reveal that the England legend is in line for a fly-on-the-wall series amid industry plans to capitalise on his wife Coleen’s stint on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!.

Mail Sport has learned that production companies are already plotting to take advantage of Coleen’s soaring public profile following her entry into the jungle.

The programme would follow a similar concept to the successful docuseries ‘Beckham’ that first aired on Netflix last year. There will be no shortage of networks interested in securing the rights to any Rooney documentary given their huge popularity.

Wayne Rooney could find himself the focus of another documentary at the helm of Plymouth

Popularity for the celebrity couple is rising once again as his wife Coleen (right) appears on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here

Coleen’s infamous court case against Rebekah Vardy was the subject of a three-part series aired by streaming service Disney +, who would likely be in the running to air the new Rooney documentary if it comes to fruition.

Ex-Man United’s star charity call to arms 

Danny Simpson has spoken candidly to Mail Sport about his night sleeping rough as he aims to support Manchester’s fight against homelessness.

The former Manchester United star, who won the Premier League title with Leicester in 2016, spent a night last weekend sleeping outdoors as part of an initiative organised by Centre Point and the Manchester United Foundation to raise awareness of the prevailing issue in the city.

And speaking exclusively to this column, the recently retired full back revealed: ‘It took me back a bit. When you are playing professional football you are in bubble, when you stop and you take a step back and think “wow” – you realise how fortunate you are.

‘Particularly at this time of year, heading into Christmas and the temperatures are dropping. It just made me really think about how we see people sat outside shops, restaurant and bars.

‘I wanted to experience even just a percentage of what they are going through. I can’t comprehend what it’s like. Especially in Manchester, and I’m a Manchester boy, it’s getting worse.

‘I did it that night but I’m going to to do a lot more to try and raise awareness.

‘We all sit there and think about our own lives which is fine – but just imagine what they are going through. It upsets me and I’m going to do what I can to help.’

Danny Simpson has leant his support to fighting Manchester’s homelessness issue this winter

Cole and Lescott role back the years 

Ashley Cole and Joleon Lescott spent their penultimate night as senior England coaching staff rolling back the years at Tottenham’s training ground.

The Premier League winning duo put their boots back on following the team’s final training session before Thomas Tuchel takes over to play in a FA staff game.

The small-sided game was played on one of Spurs’ indoor training pitches before Cole and Lescott retreated back to the on-camp hotel to assist interim head coach Lee Carsley with the team’s final preparations for the game with Ireland on Sunday night.

‘Rapid’ Lescott, in particular, caught the eye as England support staff chased the former Manchester City star’s shadow.

Cole and Lescott are expected to revert to their assistant roles alongside Carsley with England Under 21s.

Blues teen’s return to action 

Chelsea summer signing Omari Kellyman is scheduled to return to action inside four weeks following a serious hamstring injury.

The £18million arrival from Aston Villa has seen the start to his career at Stamford Bridge disrupted by injury, missing the previous two months.

But the 19-year-old is expected back within a month in news that will drive as a boost to the Blues.

Kellyman is yet to make his senior debut for Chelsea after injury struck early on this season

Kellyman is yet to make his senior debut for Chelsea but did turn out for the Under 21s before injury struck.

Back to school for wannabe agents 

Hundreds of wannabe football agents descended on Wembley on Wednesday to take the latest round of FIFA license exams.

It is the fourth sitting of the tests following the introduction of new agent legislation in January.

It seems, though that the exams are not necessarily easy to pass with certain candidates taking the test for a third time on Wednesday after failing their original retake.