Former Tottenham performance director joins top sports agency

Steve Hitchen has been named director of football at Unique Sports Group, which represents Reece James, Anthony Gordon and others

In the kind of move that is becoming increasingly commonplace in the modern game, former Tottenham Hotspur official Steve Hitchen has been named as director of football for independent UK agency Unique Sports Group.

It is a newly-created position for the company, which represents players such as Reece James and Anthony Gordon, and reflects the manner the business is being taken into a new era.

Many agencies have felt the need to mirror football clubs, to be on top of every development in the game, while also better equipping them to set out strategies.

Hitchen is a widely respected figure in the game for his work as Director of Technical Performance at Spurs, having worked in recruitment as the club defied expectations in Mauricio Pochettino’s time in charge.

Such a move comes amid an era in which agencies often have scouting systems that rival or even surpass the wealthiest clubs, such is the emphasis on talent.