Eintracht Frankfurt – flush with cash from the sale of their striker Omar Marmoush to Manchester City – have confirmed their interest in signing Arsenal youngster Ayden Heaven.
The 18-year-old defender was present to watch last night’s 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund and CEO Markus Krosche told ESPN reporter Archie Rhind-Tutt that contact with Arsenal had been initiated.
“We spoke to Arsenal,” said Krosche. “We try to sign him. He’s a really good prospect and we’ll see if we can find a solution with him.”
Heaven was part of the Gunners squad that travelled to the USA in the summer and earned praise from manager Mikel Arteta for his performance in the friendly win over Manchester United in Los Angeles.
“At 17, I don’t know how many players are able to do that on a stage like this,” said the manager at the time.
“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.”
Heaven went on to make his competitive debut in the 3-0 Carabao Cup win over Preston North End and has trained regularly with the first team. Like Myles Lewis-Skelly, Ethan Nwaneri and Tommy Setford, he was also included in the first team’s squad photo in September.
Our resident Arsenal Academy expert, Jeorge Bird, informs us that the centre-back’s scholarship contract expires in June.
Transfers new for you which isn’t Omar Marmoush.
Arsenal 18yo defender Ayden Heaven here tonight
Just spoke to Eintracht Frankfurt’s Markus Krösche: “We spoke to Arsenal. We try to sign him. He’s a really good prospect and we’ll see if we can find a solution with him.” @ESPNFC pic.twitter.com/gf5jxE4jXe
— Archie Rhind-Tutt (@archiert1) January 17, 2025
Elsewhere, the Telegraph – relaying claims by TV2 in Norway – claims Arsenal are one of a number of clubs interested in Sverre Nypan.
The 18-year-old midfielder, a Norway under-21 international, has already played 60 matches for Rosenborg scoring 13 goals and making 11 assists. It’s suggested he could cost in the region of £10 million. One to watch.
I hope we don’t end up signing only a cb or lb. 😂
We might have to as Tierney, Zinny and/or Kiwior and/or Tomiyasu will leave this summer.
Heaven knows what will happen.
I’ll get my coat.
Getting some bad advice I think. No one can now level the same old ‘we dont play youngsters’ any more and who wouldn’t want to learn from training with arguably the two best CB’s in the world right now.
Surely depends on game time chances/mins?
PLaying U21’s and occasional bench at Arsenal, Playing U21’s and occasional bench at Frankfurt…then hes probably better off staying under Saliba and Gabby. But if Frankfurt can over him actual first team mins for next season, he should probably move.
If thats the case we should sell but maybe have a buy back, or first refusal clause put in?
Arthur Theate, left footed center back playing for Frankfurt has been linked with several clubs and is likely to leave this summer so I believe Ayden will be playing first team football next year which is not the case if he stays at Arsenal. He might be loaned somewhere but believe Frankfurt is a nice place for a youngster to start his professional career.
Wish him the best and hopefully we insert any kind of clauses in this deal !
Really not sure this is a done deal yet. He seems to be exploring his options, which he should. But being English and having grown up at Arsenal I’m not sure if he wants to jump ship just yet if we can offer him good alternatives. I’m sure Arsenal will try convince him that a loan there or somewhere else would make more sense for now, and perhaps in 2 years or so he’ll have the chance to compete with Gabriel for the starting position at his boyhood club, living at home near his family and friends. Here’s hoping anyway.
Not sure we’d be in a position to negotiate – he hasn’t signed a pro contract yet similar to Chido obi Martin, so wed probably just get a small sum in compensation for professional development
Same thing happened with omari Hutchinson – and Chelsea then got £20m for him about 18 months later. We had to fight to stop a similar thing happening with Nwaneri (giving him his debut at 15 was likely an attempt to show him how valued he is and maximise the compensation we would get had he not signed a pro deal)
Actually, disregard that – we made £4m on the sale from Hutchinson from Chelsea to Ipswich, so clearly you can negotiate a sell on in such circumstances
Yeh just read now hes on a scholarship so we cant sell him in that regard, but yeh we should try sip in a benefit for ourselves, somewhere.
A good opportunity for Ayden Heaven to progress his career, unfortunately there are too many first team players ahead of him at Arsenal. If the deal goes ahead we should all be wishing him the best, Hopefully the club can put in some kind of sell on clause, although he only has a few months left on his contract so it won’t be a big fee. Nypan is an interesting one, I’ll be honest and say I know absolutely nothing about him, but he seems very highly rated indeed and I’m sure our Captain has the info on him. Seems… Read more »
Don’t know Nypan neither and haven’t played FM for a while but heard he won (young?) player of the season in Norway twice in a row, can use both feet and has more than decent physical attributes so I guess similar profile to Bergvall.
Just hope this won’t create any kind of issue with Dowman since his close circle was already annoyed by Wilshere’s departure !
Sverre Nypan, I believe there’s a cream for that…
I just did a quick internet search on the lad and he sounds very promising. Rosenberg’s youngest debutant at 15 (now 18) – this season in 28 games he has 8 goals and 7 assists from CM/CAM – wouldn’t say no for £10m
If they want him, the price is 60m, since they did business with the devil.
Heaven must stay!!!
Think of all the newspaper headlines that we’re going to miss out on!!!