There haven’t been many opportunities for academy players in competitive games for the Arsenal first-team in recent years.
However, many youngsters have been involved in training sessions with the senior group and with players away at international tournaments some opportunities could open up for academy prospects this summer.
Ayden Heaven is one such player who could be called upon in some capacity. The 17-year-old is evidently being monitored by Mikel Arteta and his coaching staff and was named on the bench for the Champions League game away to Porto last season.
Despite being a first year scholar last campaign, Heaven was fast-tracked to the extent that he established himself as a regular in the U21 side and also featured prominently for the U19s in the UEFA Youth League.
Previously mainly a midfielder, he is now usually deployed as a centre-back but can also fill in at left-back if required. Heaven is composed in possession and reads the game very well, while has also relishes pushing forwards when the opportunity arises.
Heaven does have a tendency to make some costly mistakes even when his overall performance levels are very high.
However, Heaven is continuing to make good progress even though there is a feeling that he could be even better if he reverted to being a midfielder.
With William Saliba and Jakub Kiwior at Euro 2024 and Gabriel at the Copa America, Heaven could provide the first-team with another central-defensive option at centre-back at the start of pre-season and it will be intriguing to see how the situation develops from there.
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Jeorge Bird is the author of www.arsenalyouth.wordpress.com Follow him on Twitter @jeorgebird
So there’s a chance that Heaven will be at one end of the pitch and Jesus at the other. Lets hope none of our team struggle to choose which direction to head in.
And hopefully they passover to their own players…
Would love Jesus to resurrect the form he showed before his knee injury. Would be Heaven. (Sorry.)