Exclusive: Arsenal now in danger of losing 'remarkable' wonderkid as Liverpool and other PL giants circle
Today at 07:15 AM
TBR Football can exclusively reveal that Arsenal are in danger of losing a “remarkable” wonderkid amid interest from the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City.
Arsenal have made a name for themselves as a club that gives youth a chance as their academy continues to produce top talents.
The likes of Bukayo Saka, Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly have all come through the ranks at Hale End to become Arsenal first-teamers.
However, some top talents have slipped through the net at Arsenal, with Chido Obi-Martin going to Manchester United and Omari Hutchinson going to Ipswich Town via Chelsea.
Now, there’s the risk that another top talent could leave Arsenal, and there are several big Premier League rivals that would happily snap him up.
Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United amid clubs keen on Arsenal gem Ayden Heaven
TBR Football correspondent Graeme Bailey understands Arsenal are in danger of losing Ayden Heaven after he rejected fresh attempts from the club to tie him down to a professional deal.
Premier League rivals Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Newcastle United are all showing an active interest in the England youth international.
Arsenal have so far failed to convince Heaven to sign his first professional deal despite offering him terms last year.
He was offered another deal when he turned 18 in September, but that has also gone unsigned to this point.
We can reveal that foreign interest in Heaven is also strong with Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen, Napoli and Marseille all keen to talk to him.
Arsenal remain hopeful that they can persuade Heaven to stay put – he has been on the bench three times in the Premier League this season, twice in the last month.
Ayden Heaven factfile
Heaven is an 18-year-old footballer who has a scholarship at Arsenal and plays as a defender and midfielder.
He began his football journey at West Ham’s academy before joining the youth setup of the Gunners – his boyhood club – in 2019.
Heaven is now in the first-team picture at Arsenal and has already made his Gunners debut, featuring in the Carabao Cup win over Preston.
Arsenal youth team expert Jeorge Bird has described Heaven as a “highly-rated centre-back” and said his “overall performances are often of a very high standard”.
Bird added: “Heaven is composed in possession and reads the game very well, while he relishes bringing the ball out from the back when the opportunity arises.”
Heaven featured in a pre-season game against Manchester United, where he bounced back after an error which saw Rasmus Hojlund get the better of him.
Speaking to the Arsenal media team about Heaven's response, Mikel Arteta said: “Very impressive. At 17, I don't know how many players are able to do that on a stage like this.
“He's lost a duel against one of the strongest and fastest players in the world, it can happen.
“But the reaction afterwards, the composure, the quality, the body language that he had were all remarkable. I'm really happy with him.”
