From Kariobangi to UK: Decorated Career of Kenyan Hired by EPL Side Aston Villa

Kenyan football analyst Naythan Din-Kariuki has been promoted by English Premier League side Aston Villa Football Club months after he was hired as part of their recruitment team ahead of their return to the UEFA Champions League in the 2024/25 season.

Naythan Din-Kariuki, who has had an inspiring career growth and progression starting from the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League, was hired by Aston Villa in May 2024 as a first-team recruitment Analyst.

In March 2025, he was promoted to the position of Lead Data Scout, making him a key figure in the West Midlands-based club’s transfer strategy.

In a significant achievement for a Kenyan, Naythan announced his new role on LinkedIn highlighting his rapid rise within the club.

“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 shared.

Kariuki plies his trade as a football scout and analyst and has experience working primarily in English professional football.

His biggest skill is the multiple ways in which he can contribute to a recruitment department through his experience either as a data analyst, an administrator or a technical scout.

Kariuki who’s career began at FKF-PL side Kariobangi Sharks FC has a deep understanding of the English Football League (EFL) & African football.

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His career kickstarted as a first team goalkeeper coach for Kariobangi Sharks FC in January 2016 where he played part in the planning, organization and delivery of coaching sessions of the first team.

Naythan Kariuki’s Success in Kenya

Kariuki was part of the technical team that oversaw the team gain promotion from the National Super League (NSL) to the then Kenya Premier League.

Following his departure from Sharks in December 2016, Kariuki worked as an analyst at Eden Sports Group between 2018 and 2019 before joining English club Oxford United FC in 2020.

At Oxford United, Naythan assumed the role of Performance and Recruitment Analyst before being promoted as a Lead Recruitment Analyst in September 2022.

His departure from Oxford saw him earn a new role at Danish Club AC Horsens in 2023 where he worked as a Senior Scout up to April 2024 when he left the club to join Aston Villa in May.

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Kariuki who is also a Co-founder, and Director of Scouting at EA Eye holds two post graduate degrees from top English Universities.

He holds a Master of Science, Sports Business & Leadership from Loughborough University and a Master of Science, Performance and Analysis from Middlesex University.

Before pursuing his post graduate studies, Naythan graduated at Solent University with a degree in Football Studies and Business, Sports Studies in 2018.

Rise to Aston Villa

His rise at Aston Villa was highly influenced by Jobs4football which is a premier program for football recruitment solutions.

Jobs4footbal specializes in connecting talented individuals with career opportunities in the dynamic world of football from grassroots to professional levels.

It focuses solely on football staff recruitment, spanning from Chief Executive Officers to commercial roles, coaches to analysts, physios to operations managers.

While announcing about Naythan’s rise to Aston Villa, Jobs4football noted that he lacked career pathway direction and confidence in his skillset despite already being employed at a European Club.

Naythan joined the program to gain clarity, direction and that all important personalized support where he was equipped with the tools needed to maximize his own profile, whilst also reviewing global opportunities and supporting mentally.

With these newly acquired skills within 6 weeks, Kariuki began applying for new roles, including the First Team Analyst position at Aston Villa using the Jobs4football job board.

He successfully navigated the initial interview and advanced to the second stage before passing the second interview where he was offered the role at the Premier League side in May 2024.

Aston Villa Promotion

Kariuki joins Aston Villa at a time the club achieved a remarkable return to the UEFA Champions League in the ongoing 24/25 season.

Unai Emery’s side earned the covetous spot following Tottenham Hotspur’s 2-0 loss to Manchester City on Tuesday, May 14, 2024, which assured them a spot in the Premier League’s top four last season.

The last time Villa appeared in the Champions League was during the 1982-83 campaign when the tournament was still known as the European Cup.

The team has since impressed in their historic campaign and will be looking to book a spot in the quarter finals when they face Belgian side Club Brugge on Wednesday, March 12 in their UCL Round-of-16 second leg tie.

If the team progresses, they will be up against PSG of France.

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