Young Scout Felix Johnston Joins Como 1907
Everyone on social media is an expert.
Or at least, that’s what it might seem. However, there are instances where this perception may hold some truth.
Serie A club Como 1907 appears to believe in this notion, having recently appointed 20-year-old Felix Johnston as a first-team scout.
This marks a significant milestone for Johnston, who previously worked as a content creator on X (formerly Twitter), where he focused on analyzing the brightest talents within Chelsea's academy.
Now, he is tasked with identifying players to enhance a team managed by former Chelsea, Arsenal, and Spain midfielder Cesc Fabregas in Italy's top league.
“It’s been a long journey,” Johnston shared during an interview on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Monday Night Club.
“It all started when a friend messaged me during lockdown, suggesting I join Twitter, where everyone was discussing football.”
“I took it seriously, built a following, and my real passion began when I discovered the Chelsea academy. I became enamored with watching academy games and tracking the progression of young players. This became my niche on Twitter.”
From there, he began his own scouting efforts, capitalizing on Chelsea's youth-oriented transfer strategy.
“Suddenly, their model shifted to signing young players, so I found myself staying up until 2 a.m. watching Kendry Paez at the Under-17 World Cup, Estevao, and identifying talents of my own,” Johnston added.
“I received some recognition from individuals in the football world, which made the idea of scouting feel attainable. Before that, it was merely a passion.”
In the past six months, Johnston’s career has taken a significant turn.
His first professional role came in April when he was hired as a scouting consultant by Danish club Vejle. Subsequently, at the end of July, Como reached out to him.
“The director of recruitment at Como contacted me on Twitter, expressing his appreciation for my tweets and suggesting an internship aimed at bringing in modern, younger scouts,” Johnston explained. “I was thrilled to accept, and nine weeks later, I secured the job.”
Now that he has landed his dream position, Johnston, who is also pursuing university studies in Milan, described his responsibilities at Como.
“The recruitment director who hired me previously served as the head of data at AZ Alkmaar and is very data-driven,” he noted. “My role involves analyzing data on players, watching them in action, and compiling reports.”
“I focus on players assigned to me, but my responsibilities are broad, not limited by region or position.”
Johnston typically requires five full matches to create an initial report, although this can vary based on the player's circumstances.
“If a player is part of a low possession team and hasn’t had many touches, I may need to watch additional games for more evidence,” he clarified.
Though his path into the industry is unconventional, Johnston believes Como is a “very forward-thinking club” eager to discover new talent.
Currently ranked seventh in their second season back in Serie A, this innovative approach appears to be yielding results.
As for Johnston’s future scouting recommendations, he has highlighted 16-year-old Deinner Ordonez.
“Ordonez is a center-back at Independiente del Valle in Ecuador, the same academy that produced Moises Caicedo. They have a history of developing talented players, and he is exceptionally gifted.”
Keep an eye on this prospect, as Johnston’s analyses and insights will now be directed to Fabregas instead of social media audiences.