Manchester United has announced the acquisition of 18-year-old defender Ayden Heaven from Arsenal. Having been part of Arsenal’s youth system since the age of eight, Heaven had been one of the standout talents in the Gunners’ academy.
The young centre-back made his senior debut during the Carabao Cup against Preston after a strong pre-season with the first team under Mikel Arteta.
United, who had been monitoring Heaven’s development for some time, approached Arsenal last month with a bid for the promising defender.
Despite Arsenal offering Heaven a new contract in an effort to retain him, the teenager has now committed his future to Manchester United with a four-and-a-half-year deal, keeping him at the club until June 2029.
Heaven expressed his pride in joining Manchester United, stating: “I’m incredibly proud to join Manchester United. I’m grateful to everyone who helped make this dream a reality.” He emphasized his desire to continue improving and reach his full potential at the club.
The England Under-19 international took to Instagram to reflect on his time at Arsenal, thanking the club and its fans for their support. He described his experience as “living the dream” while training at Hale End and London Colney and making his debut in the League Cup.
Manchester United’s technical director, Jason Wilcox, praised Heaven as an “extremely talented” player with immense potential. Wilcox believes that Manchester United, with its strong track record of nurturing young talent, is the perfect environment for Heaven to develop further.
Heaven’s transfer follows a similar move by Chido Obi-Martin, who joined United from Arsenal in October.