Kenyan football scout and analyst Naythan Din-Kariuki has been promoted to Lead Data Scout at English Premier League club Aston Villa, just a year after joining from AC Horsens in Denmark.Kariuki confirmed his promotion in a statement shared on his social media on Monday, March 10, 2025. His new role comes as Aston Villa sits seventh in the Premier League standings with 45 points.His rise within the club has been swift. After being appointed as a First Team Recruitment Analyst in 2024, he now steps into a more prominent position, where he will be responsible for identifying talent and providing data-driven insights to enhance the team’s performance, particularly on the European stage.##NAJAVA_MECA_8762848##Expressing his excitement, Kariuki stressed his belief in the power of data in modern football.“Having been at Aston Villa Football Club for just under a year as a First Team Recruitment Analyst, I am really proud and honored to say that I’ve been promoted to Lead Data Scout,” he said.“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 trust in me to step into a role that allows me to bring these two perspectives together.”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 Trends Gen Z are using to reshape Kenyan football cultureIn his new position, Kariuki will be at the heart of player analysis, leveraging advanced statistical models and algorithms to assess individual and team performances.His role involves analyzing key performance metrics, such as goals scored, assists, pass completion rates, successful tackles, and interceptions.These insights will support Aston Villa’s head coach Unai Emery, and the technical staff in making informed recruitment and tactical decisions.MOFA coach singles out player for praise despite losing to Kenya PoliceKariuki’s journey in football analytics has been remarkable. He began his career as a goalkeeper coach at Kariobangi Sharks in 2016, where he played a crucial role in the club’s promotion from the National Super League to the Kenyan Premier League.He later worked with Eden Sports Group between 2018 and 2019 before joining Oxford United in 2020. His growing reputation led him to Danish club AC Horsens in 2023, where he served as a Senior Scout until April 2024, when he moved to Aston Villa.##NAJAVA_MECA_8768854##Now, as he takes on this new challenge at one of England’s most historic clubs, Kariuki is set to play a key role in shaping Aston Villa’s future through cutting-edge data scouting.
