Kenyan recruitment expert Naythan Din-Kariuki has been selected for the prestigious UEFA Elite Scout Programme (ESP).
This comes just a year after his appointment as First Team Recruitment Analyst at Aston Villa.
Din-Kariuki, who joined the English Premier League side in August 2024 as the club prepared for its UEFA Champions League return, shared the news on LinkedIn, writing:
“Excited to share that I’ve been accepted onto the UEFA Elite Scout Programme (UEFA Academy), beginning Tuesday in London. It’s a small cohort, and I feel truly honoured to be included. I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn from some of the very best in the game and gain insight into different perspectives and processes.”
He added that the programme brings together former players, recruitment heads, coaches, and data-driven scouts, making it a rich environment for knowledge exchange.
Organised by the UEFA Academy, the Elite Scout Programme is a three-month international course aimed at enhancing the skills of professional scouts through advanced tools, classroom sessions, and applied case studies with top European clubs.
Din-Kariuki’s selection marks a proud moment for Kenyan football.
Before joining Villa, he worked as a goalkeepers’ coach at Kariobangi Sharks, highlighting his journey from local football development to the global stage.
