Premier League clubs are turning to an online dating-style app to hunt out new signings.
The online player trading platform, Transfer Room, is being used by 13 Premier League clubs, with teams paying up to £2,500-a-month to speak directly to each other and cut out the middle men.
Arsenal are among those turning to Transfer Room, as well as Everton and Brighton, with clubs on the hunt for bargain deals this summer.
The first deal was made using Transfer Room in 2017 - with over 250 transfer agreed since - and chief executive Jonas Ankersen expects more than 100 more this summer.
On Thursday, recruitment staff from across Europe logged on to the online chat room, where they were presented with information on various players.
“You get a 10-minute slot. That’s it. Then, bang, on to the next one,” Brighton technical director, Dan Ashworth, told the Guardian.
He, alongside colleagues Paul Winstanley and David Weir, held 45 virtual meetings inside four hours.
Ashworth added: "It’s a great way of improving your contact base and being really time efficient, and just getting to speak to a lot of clubs.”
Dynamo Dresden sports director, Kristian Walter, said: “The big benefit is that some deals can go faster.
“You don’t have to contact three, four or five agents. You can go straight to the club. If I need a player and I don’t have direct contact with the club the agent has the power. He will say: ‘I will try to work on the deal but I need this and this.’
"You cannot save the agent fee in the end but the contact between the clubs will save some money.”
