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Soccer-Burnley hand academy trials to two players using artificial intelligence

(Reuters) - Burnley have handed trials for their academy to two players this week after the pair were scouted on talent identification platform AiSCOUT using artificial intelligence, the Premier League club said on Monday.

Burnley partnered with AiSCOUT in January in search for prospective academy players.

Interested players above the age of 14 could upload videos of themselves undertaking specific drills to the platform's mobile app and their performance would be compared against others on the artificial intelligence system.

The two players selected for trials will spend a week at the Barnfield Training Centre while two other prospects will be assessed at the end of the season, Burnley said.

"I am delighted that the first phase of trials has been a success," said club chairman Alan Pace.

"With thousands of entrants from over 125 countries, I think this is a great example of how we can expand our club's reach around the world, by making it relevant to football fans and providing them with an opportunity to engage with the club."

Burnley said they will launch another round of virtual trials on the app which will also be open to women footballers for the first time next season.

(Reporting by Manasi Pathak in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge)