Some players break out, while others explode onto the scene, but what Ayden Heaven did at Man Utd last season defies both those expressions.
Ayden Heaven came to Man Utd as a teenager who was yet to make his Premier League debut, and by the end of the season, he was almost the best choice for a role in a struggling team going through its worst-ever league season.
That’s not just a jump in levels, that’s a leap that is leaving Man Utd fans very excited for what’s to come next from Heaven.
The player himself already has a clear goal for himself heading into next season, and it’s one that will come as music to Ruben Amorim’s ears.
Ayden Heaven in Man Utd training, July 7, 2025
Photo by Manchester United/Manchester United
Ayden Heaven’s next goal at Man Utd
When Heaven joined United, his first goal would have been to play for the first team by the end of the season, a goal he exceeded and then some.
He even got off the mark for the club, albeit in a friendly, when he scored in the last post-season tour game against Hong Kong.
Speaking to The Athletic, his next goal is to do more of the latter, and he’s already taking advice from someone who’s a master at it.
Heaven said: “I want to score more goals from set pieces. You see Gabriel and (Virgil) van Dijk, and defenders like Maguire as well.
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“I want to be like them, in the box scoring headers. I think that’s always a plus to have as a defender. It’s more of a mental thing as well. You’ve got to believe you’re going to score this goal.”
Standing at nearly 6’3″, Heaven clearly has the physical tools to make a nuisance of himself on set-pieces, and he’s done so admirably in the defensive box.
The next step is to gain that intelligence of movement in the attacking box to become an offensive threat. Harry Maguire is the perfect mentor.
Man Utd’s season will be influenced by Ayden Heaven’s leap
Heaven is the reason Man Utd feel relaxed about their defensive options going into next season, despite losing Victor Lindelof and Jonny Evans.
He almost became one of the first names on the teamsheet on the basis of his form last season, but a late breakthrough and injury worries halted his momentum.
Every time he stepped on the pitch, he looked like he belonged, so the excitement of the leap he can take with a full pre-season is palpable.
If he stays injury-free, which should be manageable with no European competitions, then this could be the season where his name is taken alongside the likes of Leny Yoro as the premier defensive prospects in world football.
If and when that happens, United will be the beneficiaries because they have hitched their wagon to Heaven’s development with their transfer strategy this summer.