Ayden Heaven earned a considerable amount of praise while he was a schoolboy for his performances as a midfielder but he is now looking increasingly at home in defence.
The tall first-year scholar has been a regular for the U18s in the early stages of the season at centre-back and he has also demonstrated his versatility by filling in at left-back on his debut for the U21s against Brighton & Hove Albion.
Wherever he is deployed Heaven is usually calm on the ball and relishes the opportunity to help his side progress up the pitch. As a midfielder his playing style led to comparisons to Paul Pogba but he is now mainly seen as a defender.
Inevitably, given that he is just 17 years old, there is some room for improvement. In the recent U19 game against Sevilla, for example, Heaven was outmuscled far too easily in the build-up to a goal.
However, the overall signs are very encouraging and Heaven will be looking to get as many opportunities as possible for the older age groups.
This week he trained with the first-team ahead of the Carabao Cup tie against West Ham United and given the rate at which he is progressing Heaven may not have to wait too much longer before he is selected to train with the squad again.
Further chances could arise in the U21 setup and it is useful for Heaven that Mehmet Ali also coaches the U19s, so he is already used to working with him.
It remains to be seen which position Heaven will end up playing in regularly in the long term but it is clear that he is one of the most talented youngsters at the club.
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Jeorge Bird is the author of www.arsenalyouth.wordpress.com Follow him on Twitter @jeorgebird
It must be hard not to make pun jokes given his surname!
A headline writer’s dream if he makes it to the Prem.
Especially with Jesus out injured
Jesus looking forward to uniting with Heaven in the first team.
could be a really good match
Feels like heaven is closer to the first team
soon Arteta could be knock knock knockin’ on his door.
Heaven knows
”Heaven may not have to wait too much longer before he is selected to train with the squad again.”
Heaven can wait
Heaven knows where he’ll end up playing
While not a typical defender jersey number, I heard he was quite partial to the number 7. When he eventually gets it as his squad number he’ll be in seventh Heaven.
i see shades of partey when he travels. don’t waste him on defence please