Swindon Town's vice chairman Zavier Austin has provided an update on the club's link-up with Pakistani team Karachi FC. 

Mr Austin and academy coach Alex Pike travelled to Pakistan to see the team in action with Austin saying the "search for the next Mo Salah has begun". 

He added that he was impressed by the ability of the players he watched and that some of them would get an "opportunity to showcase their talents back home in Swindon". 

"The latest visit to Karachi with Alex has been a real eye opener and the level of ability of some players has in truth surpassed our expectations," he said.

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"It is now clear to us that there is huge footballing talent here in Karachi and we will give those deemed good enough every opportunity to showcase their talents back home in Swindon with us."

He continued by saying that the foundations for what he hoped would be a 'long and magical friendship and alliance' with Karachi FC has been set.

"For too long our club has been run poorly. Since the takeover, we wanted to make friends all over the Globe and put STFC on the map. Our alliance with Karachi FC will be the first of many. 

"The search for the 'next Mo Salah' has begun and we will not stop until we get to the Premier League and STFC becomes a globally recognised name."

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Coach Alex Pike spent a week in Karachi laying on coaching sessions for both players and coaches and holding trials for Karachi's best young footballing talent.

"This has been a fantastic week and a really life-altering experience for me," he said. 

"I've been blown away by the outstanding level of talent on display in both Karachi and in Pakistan, and it is clear that this is a footballing hotbed full of undiscovered gems.

"There's so much talent waiting to be discovered in Karachi and, based on what I saw this week, I think it is very likely Swindon could have a Karachi-born player represent the club in the future."

The plan now is for two coaches from Karachi to come over to Swindon for a four-week period where they will study both the club's academy and first-team closely and then take those ideas back to Pakistan.