Ayden Heaven has made an immediate impact at Old Trafford and we get the inside story on his rise
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Ayden Heaven of Manchester United looks on during the Europa League match between United and Real Sociedad
Ayden Heaven has hit the ground running at Manchester United
There's a famous clip of Ayden Heaven scoring a wonder goal for Arsenal Under-16s, where he runs almost the length of the pitch, past several opposition players before rounding the goalkeeper to score.
Watching on that day was Terry Bobie-Agyekum, a Chelsea scout but a man with split loyalties having played an influential role in Heaven's journey. And it perhaps says it all that, reflecting on the defender's rise to Manchester United starter, the quality Bobie-Agyekum calls to mind is not the obvious playing ability, but Heaven's mindset and resilience.
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Heaven was released by West Ham, turned down by Chelsea after a two month trial and looked at by Tottenham and Fulham. It didn't affect him. He was confident in his ability and doubled down in his desire and determination to make it.
"I think his ability to bounce back has helped him become even stronger," says Bobie-Agyekum, owner and founder of junior club Levels FC, who Heaven joined after leaving West Ham at 12-years-old.
"He had a mindset that is different to everyone else. He had a lion mentality, he was arrogant on the pitch - nice boy off the pitch, but arrogant on it.
"That was highlighted with the way he took touches, the way he would drive through teams, the way he could break lines with passes and how he would talk to his team-mates to gee them up.
"His character off the pitch, he is probably one of the nicest guys you will meet, he is quite quiet but a good kid to be around. He's cheeky sometimes.
"You hear the term 'live and breathe football' but he epitomises that. And when he is on the pitch he means business, he is not your friend! He wants to win, unless he's winning he is not smiling!"
Then a central midfielder, Heaven's talent was obvious and he joined the club's Levels Above The Rest coaching group - sessions designed to work with the best players at the club with a view to helping them into professional academies.
It paid off, despite a couple of false starts, and Heaven continued to train with Levels for several years while forging his path in the game.
Ayden Heaven in action for Arsenal's U21s
Ayden Heaven in action for Arsenal's U21s
(Image: David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
"I’m forever grateful to them because they helped me stay in top condition, even though I wasn’t at a club, through one-to-one sessions," Heaven told Arsenal.com in 2023 of Levels.
"The leader of Levels was a scout for Chelsea so he helped me get a trial with them. I was there for around two months but they eventually decided not to keep me on. That decision hurt because they kept on extending my trial so I was disappointed when I didn’t get signed.
"After that, I went back to one-to-one sessions at Levels and Fulham showed an interest in me. I was training with them for a month and they were actually going to sign me but the journey to and from there was of a considerable length. I had to take the over ground and underground just to get there from Edmonton, so I’d get home very late. Although, it was an academy that was too impractical for us, so my mum and I decided we wouldn’t sign for them.
"Luckily at the time, Arsenal were knocking on the door too and that made more sense given that, firstly I’m a fan, but also the location was much more convenient, Hale End was only a 15-minute drive, so everything fell into place perfectly."
He caught the eye of Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta and played against United in a Stateside friendly last summer. He was outmuscled by Rasmus Hojlund for the opening goal, although the Gunners prevailed 3-1.
Arteta was impressed. “I don’t know how many players are able to do that on a stage like this," said the Arsenal chief after the game in America. "He lost a duel against (Hojlund), one of the strongest and fastest players in the world, it can happen. But the reaction afterwards, the composure, the quality, the body language that he had were all remarkable. I’m really happy with him.”
There's that ability to bounce back again. It helped Heaven brush off the setback, learn and improve. A senior debut followed in the Carabao Cup at Preston in September before United made a play for his signature. He arrived in the winter transfer window and was immediately installed into the first team group.
His progression since has been remarkable, and it resonates with his junior club in the capital.
"It is pride, a lot of us at Levels support United and Ayden is one who we worked really close with over three or four years," says Bobie-Agyekum.
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"He came every week and so his story touches a little bit different. We have seen him at his ups and downs.
"I always knew he would make it, I just didn't know where and which club would give him the pathway and opportunity."
He's getting both at Old Trafford.