Burnley Football Club has become the first side in the Premier League to use artificial intelligence (AI) to open up a global search for footballing talent.

The club, through a partnership with talent identification platform AiScout, is enabling anybody above the age of 14 to record and upload themselves undertaking specific football drills to the AiScout mobile app for free. All videos uploaded to the app are analysed by AI technology to help Burnley’s scouts identify the most talented individuals.

Players identified as having potential will be invited to attend a formal academy trials day this year, with a chance of claiming a place in Burnley’s Category 1 Premier League Academy.

“This is a first opportunity for us to introduce new data-led technologies into the football club and promote Burnley to the wider football world by giving aspirational young players across the world an opportunity. We look forward to expanding the programme throughout 2021,” said Alan Pace, Chairman of Burnley FC.

“With the pandemic currently leading a suspension of youth football in Lancashire and across the UK, this trial represents an open and inclusive opportunity for football players to complete a set of drills in their own environment that could end with them being scouted by a Premier League club.”

Last year, AiScout received an investment from ALK Capital, which acquired an 84 per cent stake in Burnley for £200m in December 2020 through its sports investment arm, Velocity Sports Partners.