Meet Ayden Heaven, 18, Arsenal defender and fan who is built like Patrick Vieira and idolises surprise ex-Gunners duo

IN Ayden Heaven, it seems Arsenal person got 1 hellhole of a player.

The 18-year-old centre-back made his competitory elder debut successful the Gunners’ 3-0 triumph astatine Preston successful the Carabao Cup 4th round – from the seat successful the 80^th minute.

Before that, helium was 1 of respective academy stars to diagnostic connected the club’s pre-season summertime circuit of the States with brag Mikel Arteta starting him against Manchester United.

Heaven – lasting astatine 6ft 3in and a left-footer – was astatine responsibility for United’s opener, outmuscled and outpaced by Rasmus Hojlund, but helium recovered good arsenic Arsenal won the crippled 2-1.

He has gone from spot to spot since then, looking bully connected surviving up to his imaginable and the lofty expectations Arsenal person of him to succeed.

HOW DO THEY PLAY AND WHO DO THEY REMIND YOU OF?

The archetypal happening you announcement astir Heaven is his size and physicality, the assemblage of a young, earthy Patrick Vieira who is not acrophobic to get stuck in.

As shown against Hojlund successful the summer, Heaven inactive needs clip to bulk up and beryllium helium tin premix it with the biggest and astir intimidating strikers successful the Prem.

But Arteta is blessed to stay calm successful that department, chiefly due to the fact that of Heaven’s method and calmness connected the ball.

Avid watchers of Arsenal’s academy sides cognize Heaven precise seldom loses his cool, appears unflappable successful possession and has the quality to ping cross-field balls similar a premier Steven Gerrard.

Arteta volition beryllium hoping Arsenal person different William Saliba-style defender successful the making – 1 who is big, speedy and capable to commencement attacks from deep.

TELL US ABOUT THEIR RISE?

Heaven is highly extremely thought of astatine Arsenal, having besides made the seat for Arsenal’s past 16 archetypal Champions League clash astatine Porto backmost successful February.

He is present a trusted subordinate of the elder squad, expected to measurement up erstwhile called upon, particularly aft Arsenal’s wounded woes astatine the commencement of this campaign.

After featuring against Preston, Heaven said: “I’ve waited a agelong time. Today the time yet came, I’m conscionable happy. I convey my team-mates, my household and everyone that’s got maine here.

“I consciousness similar Mikel has spot successful me. I consciousness that’s a large portion successful it and yeah, I conscionable consciousness similar there’s spot erstwhile it comes to making your competitory debut.”

Heaven signed for the Gunners successful 2019 aft being released by West Ham arsenic a 12-year-old, having besides had trials astatine Chelsea and Fulham – turning down the second due to the fact that grooming was excessively acold from his northbound London location successful Edmonton.

Before being picked up by Arsenal, helium played for Sunday League outfit Levels – a grassroots nine who springiness players opportunities to vie against elite shot academies.

But Arsenal were ever going to beryllium his archetypal prime fixed helium was a boyhood instrumentality – his idols being Alexis Sanchez and Theo Walcott.

Heaven explained: “Arsenal were knocking connected the doorway and that made much consciousness fixed that, firstly I’m a fan, but besides the determination was overmuch much convenient.

“Hale End was lone a 15-minute drive, truthful everything fell into spot perfectly. Signing for the nine I’ve supported and my mum was truthful blessed for maine – she adjacent cried!

“My household are truthful important, they’re my motivation, I’ve got 2 younger siblings and an older sister that mean the satellite to me.”

Heaven flourished nether erstwhile Arsenal U18s manager Jack Wilshere, helping him get chances successful the archetypal squad and grooming nether Arteta astatine London Colney.

The teen added: “The strength is crazy! You get dizzy sometimes due to the fact that it’s astatine specified a speedy tempo. The quality betwixt under-18s, under-21s and the archetypal squad is unbelievable.”

WHAT ARE THE EXPERTS SAYING?

Arteta is not 1 for over-hyping a young subordinate excessively quickly, but the Spaniard had immoderate bully words to accidental astir Heaven aft the pre-season triumph implicit United.

He said post-match: “At 17, I don’t cognize however galore players are capable to bash that connected a signifier similar this.

“He’s mislaid a duel against 1 of the strongest and fastest players successful the world, it tin happen.

“But the absorption afterwards, the composure, the quality, the assemblage connection that helium had were each remarkable. I’m truly blessed with him.”

WHAT DOES THE NEXT 12 MONTHS HOLD?

Heaven’s aboriginal astatine Arsenal is not acceptable successful stone. After signing assistance presumption with the nine past summer, helium is yet to statesman superior talks implicit a caller deal.

His declaration expires successful June 2025. There is assurance an statement tin beryllium made for specified a young endowment successful the coming months.

If not, determination are large European clubs sniffing around, including Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund, who famously developed young English stars similar Jadon Sancho, Jude Bellingham and Jamie Gittens.