Aston Villa duo strengthen backroom and coaching departments
Villa have strengthened their scouting department with the appointment of Adam Henshall as head of emerging talents and loans.
Henshall, who was previously Shrewsbury Town’s head of recruitment, is joining from League One Doncaster and will oversee the loan process as Villa look to move more of their young academy stars out into the Football League.
But he will also be responsible for the club’s recruitment of exciting prospects from the EFL as Villa look to broaden their scouting network under sporting director Johan Lange.
Former Villa midfielder Mile Jedinak has been appointed the club’s loan player development coach.
Jedinak, who made 80 appearances for the club between 2016 and 2019, will work alongside Henshall by monitoring players out on loan. He will also continue his role coaching at the club’s academy.
Henshall’s appointment in particular is viewed as significant with Lange, who replaced Jesus Garcia Pitarch as sporting director last summer, keen to strengthen Villa’s scouting network at both domestic and European levels.
Ollie Watkins, Matty Cash and Ezri Konsa have all flourished since making the step up the EFL and the club want to ensure they are in pole position to snap up the best talent in the lower leagues.
Henshall spent five years at Shrewsbury before leaving for Doncaster in 2019, where he had the role of head of talent identification.
