I Am Jose

"No problem." José nodded. He had actually considered this before, but he just didn't have the right person for the job. Tristan, Luke, and the others were all talents he had recruited from elsewhere, and it wasn't practical for him to keep scouting personally. Since Piri was willing to take on this task, he was naturally the best choice.

The reserve team was crucial for Mallorca. Even though they were only in the Segunda División (Spanish second division), having a steady stream of players developing in a professional environment was invaluable. The gap between La Liga and the Segunda wasn't too wide—if Mallorca's reserve team could maintain their place in the second division, young players would gain competitive experience in proper professional matches. This would also make Mallorca's youth system more attractive to promising young talents. After all, playing in the Segunda was far more beneficial than being stuck in a lower-tier reserve league. Besides, Segunda División clubs earned a decent revenue, and Mallorca's reserve team offered better wages than many others.

Why did Barcelona and Real Madrid consistently produce top-tier youth players? Aside from their natural pull as elite clubs, their reserve teams playing in the Segunda División was a major factor.

Piri's willingness to scout talent nationwide was a massive boost for Mallorca. José had complete faith in Piri's ability to spot potential. If nurtured correctly, these young players could consistently feed into the first team. Even if the club was running as a "talent farm," they could do so with greater efficiency.

"How many people do you want to take with you?" José asked. "Feel free to pick from our scouting network. If you spot someone promising, sign them immediately. Offer them the same wages we give our youth players—maybe even a bit more, as long as it's competitive. By now, our academy should have a solid reputation, right? Young players should be eager to join us."

Piri nodded. He was beyond words at this point—José's unwavering trust in him left no room for doubt. A man will fight to the death for a leader who believes in him. From now on, he would dedicate himself fully to Mallorca.

"Do you have any specific targets?" José asked, curious about where Piri planned to look for talent.

"No need to visit the usual hotspots," Piri grinned. "Most top prospects in Spain are already snatched up by the big clubs. I'm looking for hidden gems—the kind that haven't been discovered yet. My first stop is the Canary Islands. Tenerife and Las Palmas have solid youth setups. There might be some overlooked talent there."

José nodded. He wasn't sure which stars had come from the Canary Islands, but if Piri had his eye on it, there was bound to be talent.

"Then, I'll check out smaller clubs in major cities. Remember how you found Matías in Getafe's youth team? He's a great prospect. Sure, he has some clear weaknesses, but they're fixable with the right training. That's exactly the type of player I'm looking for—youngsters with flaws, but with significant room for improvement."

José laughed. This was exactly what he had in mind. The big clubs weren't stupid—their scouts had already swept up most obvious prospects. What was left were players like Matías—talented but with noticeable weaknesses. If those weaknesses were correctable through targeted training, these players were worth signing.