How football transfers work: From Paul Pogba and Zlatan Ibrahimovic to youth team whizkids – the seven-step guide to how Premier League clubs do deals
WE see the wondergoals, the thundering challenges and the Hollywood passes.
But what are Premier League clubs that shell out tens of millions of pounds doing to ensure they are going to get a return on the deals that, ultimately, managers' jobs depend on?
Of all the Prem deals done this summer, it is not hard to see why Jose Mourinho chose to bring the likes of Paul Pogba and Zlatan Ibrahimovic - who delivered record medical results - to Manchester United.
But how did Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger come to his decision to pluck unknown starlet Takuma Asano from Japanese outfit Sanfrecce Hiroshima?
Neil McGuinness who helps bosses come to their decisions - checking up on what players are like on the pitch and how they conduct themselves chilling out in the hotel.
The former Celtic scout, who now works for a national team in the Middle East, told his seven-step plan to digging out gems...
Step 1: Requirement
"The first step is always the requirement phase. Ideas here require buy-in from all involved—the scouting department, first-team coaches and the first-team manager himself. The final decision will always lie with the manager."
Step 2: Identification
"This is where a scout earns his crust. Now it's time to go out there and find a player to match the criteria set out by your manager.
"Players can be identified in numerous ways these days. Sometimes you'll find one using video platforms like Wyscout or InStat. Sometimes agents send you DVDs or website links.
"Signing a player from video alone is lazy and a dangerous approach in scouting. Millions of pounds can be at stake during the signing process, and it's too important to cut corners."
Step 3: Planning and Travel
"Booking into the same hotel as the player and his team is ideal. Seeing how the player acts off the pitch can be an important factor in getting the bigger picture of who he is and whether he'd fit at your club.
"I have managed to observe a player in social circumstances without him being aware that I was in the corner. As I've sat drinking a coffee, I've watched how he interacted with fans and team-mates. You learn a lot in these situations."
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Step 4: Viewing the Player
"I always aim to get to the stadium early to watch the player in the warm-up. I want to see his focus. Is he concentrating in the pre-match drills or is he messing about? Little things like that can give you small clues into the player's character.
"When the match begins, I take notes. Often you are sat close to other scouts, many of whom you will know, so I make sure not to write anything that gives away who I am viewing or my thoughts on the player."
Step 5: Report and Discussion
"I start work on my report either as soon as I get back to the hotel or in the airport if I'm flying straight back. Time is critical when you have a large workload and may be travelling to another match shortly afterwards."
Step 6: Further Monitoring
"If the club are interested, you may be sent to view the player again. Sometimes they'll send another scout to get a second opinion.
"Ideally you want to watch a player in home and away matches, cup games and if possible at international level if he is of that calibre. Players can respond differently to a mix of situations—everything from weather, location, the style of opponent and beyond can impact how they perform."
Step 7: Bid and Conclusion
"This is where the money men at the club get involved. Typically the chief executive will handle this process and will be responsible for tabling a bid."