Youth defender Ayden Heaven is set to join Manchester United on a permanent transfer after turning down a new contract offer from Arsenal.
Fabrizio Romano reports that Ayden Heaven is set to join Manchester United from Arsenal, with a medical booked and the agreement being formally sealed.
Arsenal had offered Heaven a new contract, and Eintracht Frankfurt had also made a transfer approach, but the player turned down both options to join United instead.
According to Academy Scoop on Twitter, who broke the news of Manchester United’s agreement slightly before Romano, Heaven is considered a first-team signing and cover for Lisandro Martinez.
Though we heard similar things about Chido Martin Obi, who is yet to feature in a senior United squad almost four months on. He made his first u21 appearance in the Premier League 2 on Sunday.
But perhaps the pathway is a little clearer at centre-back, with players like Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof, and Jonny Evans unlikely to be around for long, and Matthijs de Ligt and Martinez proving underwhelming signings.
Leny Yoro is the one United defender you’d expect to be around for a long while yet. But he’s right-footed, whilst Heaven is better on his left. They probably won’t be fighting for the same spot.
Heaven likely wasn’t particularly enjoying his recent spell with Arsenal, losing the final eight games of his academy career. The one bright spot in that run was his first-team call-up against Preston North End, as he played 10 minutes in the 3-0 win.
With Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri breaking into the Arsenal first team and becoming regulars, Heaven may have felt that it was his turn to make the step up as well. That’s seemingly more likely in Manchester than north London right now.