Top journalists are in agreement that Manchester United are “close” to signing Arsenal starlet Ayden Heaven, and are “clear favourites” for the player’s signature.
All signs point to the Red Devils poaching another promising talent from north London, after snatching free-scoring teenage striker Chido Obi last year.
Operating at the other end of the pitch, 18-year-old centre-back Heaven is described by TBR Football as “one of the most talented players in the Gunners academy”.
But it seems increasingly likely that Mikel Arteta is set to lose out on the player who was handed his senior debut in the Carabao Cup earlier this season.
Laurie Whitwell, of The Athletic, tweeted this morning that United are “close to agreeing a fee with Arsenal for Ayden Heaven, the 18-year-old defender who attended Old Trafford for the Rangers game.”
His presence at last week’s Europa League clash was revealed the following day by Fabrizio Romano, who first broke the story of United’s interest in Heaven earlier this month.
#MUFC are close to agreeing a fee with Arsenal for Ayden Heaven, the 18-year-old defender who attended Old Trafford for the Rangers game.
— Laurie Whitwell (@lauriewhitwell) January 28, 2025
Romano noted that Heaven had also been spotted at Eintracht Frankfurt’s Deutsche Bank Park, with the German club a key player in the race for his signature.
It is also thought that Barcelona hold an interest in the youngster, but a tweet from Romano this morning indicates that United are set to come out on top.
Romano said: “Manchester United, advancing on deal to sign Ayden Heaven from Arsenal. They’re clear favourites as exclusively revealed.”
United are yet to complete a signing this month, although seem to be edging closer to a deal for Lecce left-back Patrick Dorgu.
🚨👀 Manchester United, advancing on deal to sign Ayden Heaven from Arsenal.
They’re clear favorites as exclusively revealed https://t.co/2gKsUietZI
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 28, 2025
Should a deal be sealed this month for Heaven, it’s unlikely he would make an instant first-team impact, although such is his promise he may enter the mix to put pressure on United’s more established centre-backs.
After all, he is not much younger than Leny Yoro, who has started to feature more and more alongside senior options like Harry Maguire, Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez.
Featured image Warren Little via Getty Images
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Joe Ponting
Joe has spent more than half his life writing about football and all of it following United. As a child he told a doctor his name was ‘Paul Scholes’, but could never pick a pass like him no matter how much he tried.
