Manchester United continue to back youth under the guidance of Ruben Amorim and sporting director Jason Wilcox, with a new generation of talent slowly taking shape at Carrington.
One name creating early buzz is Ayden Heaven, the former Arsenal defender who made the switch to Old Trafford in a deal worth around £1.5 million earlier this year.
Still just 18, Heaven is seen by many as one of the most exciting defensive prospects in England.
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His composure on the ball, left-footed balance, and tactical intelligence have impressed United staff and supporters alike.
With the 2025/26 campaign approaching, he’s expected to feature prominently for United, while continuing to train with the senior team under Amorim’s watch.
Now, more insight has emerged into the remarkable journey that brought the versatile starlet to Manchester—and the positional switch that changed everything.
Ayden Heaven only began playing as a centre-back two years ago under the guidance of Arsenal academy manager Per Mertesacker.
“I only moved into defence when I was about 15, so it was quite late,” Heaven explained as he spoke to The Athletic.
“Then I only started playing centre-back when I was 16, a first-year scholar.
“I was a left-back before I went to centre-half.
“I played everywhere, really. The coaches thought I was more suited there and it’s worked out.”
His early footballing years saw him play up front, out wide and in midfield.
It took the vision of Mertesacker—a World Cup-winning centre-half with Germany—to identify Heaven’s ideal role.
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But not everyone was immediately convinced.
His mother and agent, Lisa, recalled needing a little persuasion.
“Per Mertesacker was like, ‘He’s not a midfielder, he’s not a winger, he’s a defender’,” Lisa said.
“I was like, ‘No, he’s a No 6, he goes box to box’.
“Then I saw him play left-sided centre-back, I thought, ‘OK, you know’.
“I feel like Per always saw something in Ayden that no one else saw.”
Now thriving in his new role, Heaven’s rapid development has made his move to Manchester United feel like perfect timing—and a decision that could shape the Red Devils’ back line for years to come.
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