Young Gun: Ayden Heaven Young gun News

Our Young Gun series gets to know the academy youngsters kicking off their careers at Sobha Realty Training Centre.

Ayden Heaven spoke to us recently, and here's what he had to say about impressing Mikel, playing in America and more.

It all started with the US pre-season tour. I found out I was going around a week before we left, and it was an unforgettable experience. One moment that stands out was at lunch with Ethan and Myles when Mikel came over. He told us he’d be giving us the opportunity to play in America and said it was a chance to prove to him that we could be trusted. We all embraced that challenge and showed what we could do. 

Looking back, I actually played more than I thought I would. I started the Bournemouth game and got 60-70 minutes under my belt, which I felt went really well. Just a couple of days later, I started against Manchester United in LA. My confidence was high from the Bournemouth game, and I went into the United match determined to perform well. I played the first 45 minutes. Although we conceded a goal I felt I could have handled better, it was a valuable learning experience. Playing against such strong opposition, in front of thousands of fans, was incredible.

I also featured in the Liverpool game in Philadelphia, which was another brilliant opportunity to learn and grow. Overall, playing in the men’s game during that tour really boosted my confidence. 

One of the highlights was having my mum there to watch me. It was her first time seeing me play for the first team, and she was so proud. That shirt from the US tour is definitely framed now! 

Off the pitch, the atmosphere was great. There was plenty of table tennis, and because it was a lot of people’s first tour there was also a lot of singing! I had to sing because, although I travelled with the squad to Porto last season, I didn’t do it then. This time, I stepped up and performed Heart On Ice by Rod Wave. I even got a standing ovation, which was pretty funny. Being out there strengthened my relationships with the first-team players – they were all brilliant and incredibly supportive.

"I'm always ready and confident in my ability to step up if needed."

Since then, I’ve been on the bench for games against Manchester United, Fulham, and Tottenham. Matchdays with the first team are very different from academy matches. With the under-21s, the schedule is more compact, but first-team matchdays are far more intense. For instance, if it’s a late kick-off, we’ll have three meetings during the day to cover the game plan and set-pieces, plus two more when we get to the stadium. There’s so much to take in, but it’s all part of the learning curve. 

When warming up for a Premier League game, you can’t help but think about whether you’ll get on or if an injury might open up an opportunity. But I never feel nervous – I’m always ready and confident in my ability to step up if needed. 

Making my competitive first-team debut against Preston was an amazing experience. I had a feeling I’d get my chance because I didn’t play against Bolton in the earlier round. I was the only one in the group who hadn’t come on, so when my time came, I was ready.

I felt like I made the most of it. I was good on the ball, got in a few tackles, and learned a lot. The speed at first-team level is a huge step up from under-21s. In the Academy you have more time on the ball and can get away with certain things. At first-team level, any mistakes can be costly, especially as a defender. 

Training with the first team regularly has been a massive confidence boost. I feel fully comfortable now, and I can play freely without nerves. Being around top-quality defenders in training is inspiring, and their constant communication helps me learn every single day. 

This year, I’ve also had the privilege of playing for England under-19s again, alongside Ethan and Myles, which was a great experience. Looking ahead, my goals for the rest of the season are to play more first-team games – whether in the Premier League, Carabao Cup or Champions League. Ultimately, I just want to keep training hard, playing hard and becoming the best player I can be.