Aston Villa advertising for South American first-team scout

Aston Villa are recruiting a dedicated first-team scout to operate across South and Central America, according to a job advertisement highlighted by Birmingham Live. The full-time, fixed-term position requires the successful candidate to identify players capable of performing in the Premier League through a combination of live match attendance and video analysis.

The role extends beyond South America to include Major League Soccer and Mexico's Liga MX. Applicants must be fluent in both Spanish and English, and either already reside in the region or be willing to relocate. Regular travel to Birmingham is also expected, with the advert specifying approximately three trips per year for departmental meetings.

Villa's interest in South American talent was underlined earlier this year when winger Alysson joined from Grêmio for a reported £10.5m fee during the January window. He has since scored in the 2-1 home defeat by Nottingham Forest at Villa Park on Saturday 12 September.

The new recruit will work alongside the existing scouting, data and recruitment departments, producing detailed player evaluations and maintaining position-specific shortlists. Responsibilities also include gathering market intelligence, conducting character assessments and building relationships with player representatives throughout the continent.

With the summer transfer window having closed on 1 September, no Premier League club can complete a signing until the market reopens on 1 January 2027. This appointment points towards longer-term planning for future windows rather than immediate business, as Unai Emery's side prepare for upcoming fixtures including Brentford at Villa Park on Saturday 10 October.