Manchester United have a gem on their hands in Ayden Heaven. Few would have expected Ruben Amorim to fast track the 17-year-old centre-back into his team within weeks of signing for the club.
But after signing on a four-and-a-half-year deal in January after joining from Arsenal, Heaven is set to make his first senior start against Real Sociedad on Thursday night as United look to progress in the Europa League, less than two weeks after debuting in the second half of the Red Devils’ doomed FA Cup penalty shootout defeat to Fulham.
He then appeared in the 1-1 draw at home against former club Arsenal, receiving high praise from Ruben Amorim at full-time. “I think we have a player there,” he said.
The teenage defender moved to the northwest from Arsenal on February 1 for a reported £1.5m and has made an instant impression, taking advantage of the opportunities presented to him by Amorim’s struggling squad.
Heaven’s talent was evident from his earliest days in the academy system. First signed to West Ham as an eight-year-old, he trialled at Chelsea before being scouted by Arsenal, the club he supported growing up, where he spent five years as an academy scholar, but declined the offer of a professional contract.
As a scholar, he was a classmate to Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri, both of whom are enjoying breakout seasons at the Emirates this year.
He trained regularly with the first team at Arsenal, travelling with the squad on various occasions and making his first team debut in a Carabao Cup match at Preston in October.
While at academy level, he played primarily as a central midfielder, which was recognized as his preferred position, but he has found a place in Amorim’s squad as a centre-back. Opportunities abound at the back due to the manager’s preferred three-at-the-back system, though the switch has been hampered by injuries to Leny Yoro and Harry Maguire.
He drew interest from a range of European clubs before choosing to move to United, including Fulham, Borussia Dortmund, and Eintracht Frankfurt.
