Manchester United have a “really special” teen star who has been touted to become a key player under Rúben Amorim next season.
Manchester United’s 2024/25 campaign was a complete disappointment, with the club finishing 15th in the Premier League table and losing the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur.
While some of the senior players in the squad failed to perform, one of the only positives under Rúben Amorim during his first six months in charge is that many of the younger players performed very well, considering the pressure the club was under.
Academy graduates Harry Amass, Chido Obi and Tyler Fredricson all made their debuts for the club under the head coach’s watchful eye, with Amass and Fredricson both standing out. At the same time, Obi has shown flashes of promise, too.
Other young players such as Leny Yoro have also made a distinct impression within Amorim’s set up, with Ayden Heaven another player tipped for a big future at Old Trafford.
Hevean can be the next big thing at United
United signed 18-year-old Heaven from Arsenal in a deal believed to be worth around £1.5 million.
Although he was initially brought in as an Academy player, he quickly made a significant impression under Amorim with fantastic performances against Arsenal, Real Sociedad, and Aston Villa.
Former United player Wes Brown is another who has been very impressed with Heaven, explaining that he feels the 18-year-old could become a key player under Amorim next season.
“I’ve watched Ayden Heaven at every opportunity, and I don’t think he’s really put a foot wrong yet, even though he’s probably not even fully grown,” Brown explained.
“When I’ve seen him play, he has done everything right and looks to do it with ease. He can tackle and can block; the manager seems to really like him.
“He’s younger than Leny Yoro, who himself is a very young player. Yoro is ahead of him at the moment, but I really like Heaven and how Amorim has handled him.
“The manager will be looking at him, thinking that in one or two years, he can be a key part of his team, he could be top class. He needs to keep his feet on the ground for now and be patient.
“He could keep growing until he is 21 and be a top player if he puts the graft in; he could develop into a really special player, given how well he has done for his age. So far, he hasn’t put a foot wrong.”
What is the plan for Heaven next season?
The initial plan for Heaven was to allow him to play as part of the Academy before handing him a shot with the first team during the 2025 pre-season tour, but with pre-season starting next month, he is now an established first-team player.
There were initial rumours that United were eyeing a new first-team centre-back this summer following the departures of Jonny Evans and Victor Lindelöf. Still, with Heaven establishing himself within Amorim’s team, there is no longer need for one.
Lisandro Martínez is expected to return to training later this summer and will join Heaven alongside Noussair Mazraoui, Matthijs de Ligt, Harry Maguire, Leny Yoro, Luke Shaw, and Tyler Fredricson as first-team options, with other Academy players in a supporting role.
Heaven will now start the 2025/26 campaign fighting for his spot on the left of Amorim’s back three, although his on-the-ball abilities have also seen some claim he should be trialled as the central centre-back.
Wes Brown was speaking to Boyle Sports.
Make sure to follow UtdDistrict on X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok to never miss out on any of our Manchester United content. Our podcast, What the Devil?, is streamed live every Thursday at 12:30 pm (BST) on the United View YouTube channel.