United’s “outstanding” youngster rejects chance to make history at next summer’s World Cup – report

Manchester United defender Ayden Heaven has reached a final decision on switching allegiance to represent Ghana ahead of next summer’s World Cup. A Bargain Deal The 19-year-old defender has enjoyed a rapid rise in senior football after joining the Red Devils from Arsenal in February for a fee worth £1 million — the same club he would make his debut against for United a month later. Despite playing as a midfielder for much of his youth career in north London, Heaven has cemented himself as a centre-back in Manchester, with Ruben Amorim’s three-at-the-back system suiting the youngster perfectly. He has made 14 appearances this calendar year, impressing with his maturity and technical ability in progressing the ball from deep. Despite a few shaky displays earlier in this campaign, notably the embarrassing exit to League Two side Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup, Heaven produced the best performance of his fledging career against Newcastle on Boxing Day. Deployed at right centre-back, a position the left footer had not played before at Old Trafford, Heaven was imperious alongside Lisandro Martinez in a back four. He made the most clearances of any player and scooped up the Man of the Match award in the process, drawing praise from his head coach as well. “I am really pleased with Ayden. You can feel that he is improving every game. He is young, but you can feel that he has a good game, slows the thinking and improves during the game,” Amorim revealed. “He trained really well and, if he continues to play like that, it is going to be really hard to take his place” — a warning to United’s more established centre-backs, such as Matthijs de Ligt, Harry Maguire and Leny Yoro. But admiration of Heaven is not limited to club football, however. A Wanted Man The London-born defender has represented England at different age groups, most recently playing for the Under-20s against Switzerland in October where he picked up an ankle injury, but is yet to make his senior debut for the Three Lions. And this had put the Ghanaian FA on red-alert over a player who qualifies for the Black Lions through a grandparent — with the offer of playing at the World Cup on the table. Ironically, Ghana have been drawn alongside England, as well as Croatia and Panama, in Group L of the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico next summer. But the BBC reveals Heaven is set to rebuff any advances from Ghana as the youngster wants to “represent England at senior level”. If he had chosen to make the switch, Heaven would have become the first player to play for United and represent Ghana at an international tournament. Every African Player to Play for Manchester United NameCountryGames playedGoals scored Quinton FortuneSouth Africa12611 Eric Djemba-DjembaCameroon392 ManuchoAngola30 Mame Biram DioufSenegal91 Wilfried ZahaIvory Coast40 Eric BaillyIvory Coast1131 Odion IghaloNigeria235 AmadIvory Coast7414 HannibalTunisia131 Sofyan AmrabatMorocco300 Andre OnanaCameroon1020 Noussair MazraouiMorocco630 Bryan MbeumoCameroon146 Featured image Gareth Copley via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Darragh Darragh is an editor for The Peoples Person who spent three years learning about the Cold War at the University of Sheffield slowly realising football was by far the most interesting thing to write about. Amad’s first touch should be officially recognised as the eighth wonder of the world.