Wolves' recruitment network is being expanded as they hire European scouts, according to the Express & Star.

Having an extensive scouting network is a key area for Premier League clubs because it's becoming harder to find bargains due to the knowledge amongst teams in the top European leagues that English clubs will be able to pay more than other clubs due to the TV rights money.

Wolves are certainly taking a long-term approach to their time in the top division because decisions such as this will benefit them in the long-term because it increases the chance of them getting value for money while providing an area which will only become more useful over time.

This is what sporting director Kevin Thelwell had to say about the decision to Express & Star:

"Over the course of the season we’ve been gearing up to it [the transfer window] by hiring European scouts and making sure a platform of information and intelligence was a lot stronger.

"We’ve employed video scouts full time for the first time during the season, European scouts and we’re looking to add to that network over the course of the summer, plus data analysts and scouting coordinators that will pull the whole plan together."

The Verdict

This is not only a smart move, but also ambitious because they are willing to look in unfamiliar markets to find players who would suit their style of play under Nuno Santo. Modern football means that footage can be obtained of even the most obscure leagues, so it's wise to take advantage of that with experts in that area.

Wolves come into the league with a disadvantage, as is the case for every promoted team, because of the vast amount of revenue that the Premier League sides have accumulated through TV rights in comparison to their finances. Therefore, decisions such as this help negate that by ensuring their money is spent on the right players and that they take as little risk as possible.