A Kenyan football scout has earned promotion at Aston Villa, barely a year after joininhg the club.
Naythan Din-Kariuki has been promoted to Lead Data Scout at Premier League club Aston Villa.
The Kenyan was hired in May 2024 as First Team Recruitment Analyst ahead of the team's return to the UEFA Champions League competition, but less than a year, the Midlands club has been impressed with his work, leading to the promotion.
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Kariuki took to X, formerly Twitter, to express his gratitude to the club saying,"Having been at Aston Villa Football Club for just under a year as a First Team Recruitment Analyst, I'm really proud and honored to say that I've been promoted to Lead Data Scout.
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"I am a big believer in the power of data to support, challenge, or expand on what our eyes tell us, and I am very grateful that the club has placed it's trust in me to step into a role that allows me to knit together these two perspectives."
Update: Naythan Din-Kariuki 🇰🇪 has been promoted to Lead Data Scout at Aston Villa after just a year at Villa park.
“I am a big believer in the power of data to support, challenge, or expand on what our eyes tell us, and I am very grateful that the club has placed its own trust… https://t.co/rKgns3Crsz pic.twitter.com/4rIdBZFDx0
— Eric Njiru ⚽️ (@EricNjiiru) March 10, 2025
The Premier League side recognized his expertise and experience after he made a notable impact at Oxford United FC, an English League One club, where he was previously stationed.
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Din-Kariuki highlighted his ability to make multifaceted contributions to recruitment departments, thanks to his extensive experience as a data analyst, technical scout, and administrator. With a deep understanding of English Football League (EFL) and African football, he holds postgraduate degrees in Sports Business & Leadership from Loughborough University and Performance Analysis from Middlesex University.
Aston Villa are currently seventh on the log with 45 points, four less than fourth-placed Chelsea as the race for Champions League slots for next season hots up.