Louis Sealey
Published December 11, 2025 11:25pm
Updated December 11, 2025 11:25pm
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Mikel Arteta sanctioned Arsenal’s transfer with Man Utd (Picture: Getty)
Arsenal agreed to sell highly-rated Ayden Heaven to Manchester United partly because of a secret weapon in the Gunners’ academy.
United paid an undisclosed compensation fee to sign teenage defender Heaven from Premier League rivals Arsenal at the start of the year.
Heaven, an assured centre-back, had been in the Arsenal academy for five years before he began to be integrated into Mikel Arteta’s first-team squad.
Arsenal had high hopes for Heaven, who has played for England at numerous youth levels, and were proud to see the academy graduate made his first-team debut in October 2024.
Arteta described Heaven as ‘remarkable’ around that time but the Arsenal boss sanctioned his move to Manchester United just a few months later.
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Heaven soon broke into Ruben Amorim’s first-team, making five appearances for United before he was sidelined for two months through injury.
The now 19-year-old has also struggled with his fitness this term but will hope his injury setbacks are behind him after starting Manchester United’s last two games.
Ayden Heaven left boyhood club Arsenal to join Man Utd (Picture: Getty)
Arsenal’s decision to offload a talented and promising homegrown player came as a surprise and the Daily Mail say the emergence of another academy star played a part.
Marli Salmon came off the bench to make his Arsenal debut in Wednesday’s Champions League victory over Club Brugge.
Having turned 16 back in August, Salmon became the fourth-youngest player to ever represent Arsenal and the youngest to ever make their Gunners debut in a European competition.
New Arsenal teenage sensation Marli Salmon (Picture: Getty)
Arsenal have an incredible record of bringing through some stars under Arteta, with Myles Lewis-Skelly, Ethan Nwaneri and Max Dowman becoming regulars for the Premier League title favourites.
Salmon is expected to be the next cab off the rank, with Arsenal insiders already comparing the England U17 star to William Saliba, one of the best defenders in the world.
Explaining his decision to bring Salmon on in the Champions League, Arteta said: ‘We had to really consider it because we were playing a really good side that had some really good results in the Champions League at home, but we knew that at some point we had to use him.
Why Ayden Heaven left Arsenal for Man Utd
‘The opportunities that the young players have got here in the past,’ Heaven told MUTV when asked why he decided to join Manchester United.
‘I think United had the most minutes given to teenagers last season [2023/24]. That convinced me to come here.
‘And the people and the fans here are quite loving, and I felt that when I was playing. They’re so supportive.’
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Heaven said an encouraging conversation with Ruben Amorim also helped convince him to make the move to Old Trafford.
‘He just said that our play style will suit me, because they play three at a back and I play on the left of the three, so that allows me to run with the ball,’ the teenager said.
‘That’s one of my strengths. And defending out wide is one of my strengths as well.’
‘So, he was ready, he was prepared. He can play as a centre back or as a full back and I’m delighted. He’s so young, 16 still, and he’s playing in the Champions League. So yeah, what a great night for him as well.’
Arsenal have mapped out a route for Salmon as he looks to establish himself as a first-team star over the next few years which includes the idea of first sending him out on loan.
Discussing Salmon’s ability just a few months after his 16th birthday, a source told the Daily Mail: ‘On the ball he’s excellent, and physically for his age he’s strong.
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Previous Page Next Page‘Typically, you get chances as a centre back at first-team level later on as you then grow into an adult, but he could well be one of the players that breaks through and gets an early opportunity. He was outstanding against Bayern Munich’s Under 19s and put in some great tackles.
‘He’s good in one-v-one scenarios and moves very well. The first-team coaches like him. He has a good jump on him.
‘He’s nearly 6ft now, he’ll be at least 6ft 3in. It’s hard to break through as a centre back at Arsenal, but he’s doing well.’
https://www.instagram.com/p/DSGWGKMjJ0H/?img_index=1
While Salmon waits for more Arsenal opportunities, Heaven will be keen to kick on at Manchester United after starting back-to-back Premier League games.
Amorim singled out Heaven for praise after United’s 4-1 win over Wolves on Monday night, telling reporters: ‘I think Ayden has a great future. He’s really hard to beat. He adapts really well in the centre.’
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Manchester United are sixth in the Premier League, one point outside the Champions League places, ahead of their next game against Bournemouth.
‘We’ve just got to do what we did today in every game,’ Heaven said after the emphatic victory at Molineux. ‘I don’t think anyone can stop us when we play like this.
‘We want to win as many games as possible. Hopefully we can be in Europe next season, which I think we’ll do.’
Asked if his United teammates were determined to get back into Europe, Heaven added: ‘Of course, that’s where we belong. I feel like we can just continue how we did today and we’ll be back where we belong.’
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