Arsenal - Ayden Heaven
Image credit: Getty Images
Arsenal are at risk of losing one of their brightest prospects, Ayden Heaven, as top Premier League clubs and European giants circle for the 18-year-old defender, according toGraeme Bailey via TBR Football.
Heaven, who holds a scholarship at Arsenal, is a versatile player capable of operating as both a defender and a midfielder. He joined Arsenal’s academy in 2019 after beginning his football journey at West Ham United. The Gunners fan has since risen through the ranks and is now part of Arsenal’s first-team picture.
The England youth international made his senior debut in Arsenal’s Carabao Cup victory over Preston and has been named on the bench three times in the Premier League this season, twice in the past month.
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Arsenal’s Hale End academy is renowned for producing top talent, with Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe, Eddie Nketiah, Reiss Nelson, Ethan Nwaneri, and Myles Lewis-Skelly among its recent success stories. However, the Gunners have also struggled to retain some of their starlets, with notable examples including Chido Obi-Martin, who joined Manchester United last summer, Reuell Walters joined Luton Town while Amario Cozier-Duberry moved to Brighton.
Arsenal - Ayden Heaven
Ayden Heaven (Image credit: Getty Images)
Ayden Heaven appears to be the latest academy product whose future at the club is uncertain. Reports indicate that Arsenal’s efforts to secure Heaven on a professional contract have so far been unsuccessful. The club offered him terms last year and again after he turned 18 in September, but both proposals remain unsigned.
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Rival Premier League clubs including Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Newcastle United are all reportedly keen on signing Heaven. Interest from Europe is equally strong, with Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen, Napoli, and Marseille among the clubs eager to bring the talented youngster abroad.
Despite the growing interest, Arsenal remain hopeful of convincing Heaven to commit his future to the club. His involvement with the first team and frequent appearances on the bench are part of their strategy to demonstrate a clear pathway to senior football.
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