Arsenal are in danger of losing academy talent Ayden Heaven this month, as the young defender seeks a place in the first team and might look elsewhere.
According to Arsenal Insider, Ayden Heaven is leaning towards departing the Gunners this month as many clubs are interested in signing the Arsenal prodigy. Despite being highly rated by the club chiefs and Mikel Arteta, the defender is hungry for first-team action as a pathway into the north London side’s senior side seems like a tricky proposition.
Arsenal have made tremendous progress involving academy graduates in the first team. A host of the Hale End system players have been regularly involved in first-team training under Mikel Arteta this season, but only two have truly stood out for their talent.
Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri are now established members of the first team, with both those teenagers impressing in different periods this season. The former has come into prominence late for his big displays from a left-back position, while the latter was impressed early on before being sidelined with a muscular problem.
Then there are those academy stars who are on the brink of breaking into the first team plans, with Ayden heaven one of those. However, the Arsenal prodigy feels it’s difficult to break into Arteta’s plans as there are plenty of defensive players for the Spaniard to rely upon rather than calling someone from the academy.
Heaven is now leaning towards leaving the club and has been ignoring a contract offer presented by Arsenal and as reported earlier by Fabrizio Romano. The teenager is eager for a taste of first-team action, and while there are a host of clubs chasing his signature, he was reportedly spotted at Eintracht Frankfurt’s stadium, which has sparked fresh rumours of a move to Germany.
Ayden Heaven’s complex pathway towards Arsenal’s first team
Heaven also has the attention of Manchester City and Napoli, alongside a few others. The defender has shown plenty of promise in the background for these clubs to line up with offers, including Eredivisie giants Ajax and Borussia Dortmund.
The Arsenal first team is stacked with talented defenders, especially on the left-hand side, where Heaven prefers to play. From Gabriel Magalhaes to Riccardo Calafiori, these are defenders that the Arsenal prodigy will find it hard to dislodge, meaning a move elsewhere would make sense for his development, as the Gunners have seemingly done what they can so far.
