Ayden Heaven has been a revelation for Manchester United over the last month, stepping flawlessly into the starting line-up to cover for Matthijs de Ligt.
It was not an ideal opening four months of the Premier League season for Ayden Heaven, barely playing as Ruben Amorim settled on his back-three.
But after Matthijs de Ligt was injured in November, the importance of Heaven increased tenfold.
Wes Brown is backing Ayden Heaven! Do you share his confidence?
“I think we’ve said it every time he’s played: he’s been excellent. He’s done his job and hasn’t looked out of place in any way.”
Wes Brown
Heaven was originally expected to leave United on loan, with January links emerging in November, but that has all changed, as the 19-year-old has played himself into being undroppable.
Now, it has emerged just how good one aspect of Heaven’s game is.
Ayden Heaven is a top one per cent ball-playing defender
As a reward for his performances through December, Ayden Heaven was named United’s player of the month, a much-deserved reward for his form.
Heaven has grown in confidence, becoming unbeatable at the back, but it is not his defensive quality that is the standout benefit of his inclusion in the team.
Instead, it is Heaven’s on-ball ability that is his best trait.
Now, at the halfway mark of this season, Heaven has completed 82.4% of his long passes in the Premier League through eight appearances, according to Statman Dave.
Ayden Heaven was Man Utd’s best outfield player vs Wolves
Do you agree? It was a bizarre choice to take him off…
This puts Heaven in the top one per cent of centre-backs in the league, with his distribution quickly becoming established as being elite.
Lisandro Martinez is often praised for his long passing, but he has completed just 37.9%, which is a stark contrast to Heaven, demonstrating why the teenager deserves such praise.
Manchester United have found one half of a Premier League-winning partnership
Heaven being so good at 19 is very exciting, as he has seven years of development to come until he will be considered in his prime.
For this reason, assuming he stays fit, Heaven is going to be good enough to one day be part of a title-winning team.
United are planning project 150 for 2028, by which stage there is no telling how good Heaven could be, and having cost just £1.5m, he could be the bargain of the century.
Now, United just needs to find his partner.
This could be Leny Yoro, De Ligt, or even Jayden Ngwashi, all of whom are good enough or have the potential to be at the required level.
One thing which is certain, Heaven won’t be dropped anytime soon.
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