Manchester United agree compensation fee to sign Ayden Heaven from Arsenal

MANCHESTER UNITED HAVE completed the signing of England youth international Ayden Heaven from Arsenal.

The 18-year-old has signed a deal until 2029, with the option of a further year, after the clubs reached an undisclosed compensation agreement.

Heaven made his first-team debut for Arsenal earlier in the season and United say he will be “immediately” linking up with Ruben Amorim’s “first-team squad”.

“I am incredibly proud to join Manchester United,” the England Under-19s international said.

“I’m grateful to everyone who helped make this dream a reality.

“There is so much that I want to achieve in the game. I’ll be giving everything to continue my development and become the best player that I can be.”

Manchester United technical director Jason Wilcox said: “We are delighted that Ayden has joined Manchester United.

“He is already an extremely-talented defender who is ready to join our first-team squad in order to maximise his development.

“This club has a phenomenal track record of supporting young players and we believe that Ayden is in the perfect place to reach his excellent potential.”

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Meanwhile, Diogo Dalot is convinced the “storm” at United will pass and is using Ruben Amorim’s “worst team” barb as motivation to help change things.

This has been a topsy-turvy and emotionally draining season at Old Trafford, even by the standards of recent years.

United turned to Amorim after sacking Erik ten Hag in late October, yet there has continued to be bumps since then at a club that begin the weekend 12th in the Premier League.

But there have been signs of progress such as Thursday’s 2-0 victory at FCSB, which not only secured progress to the Europa League last-16 but a third straight win for the first time this season.

“Football is always unpredictable, but what you can see is that we are trying to be more consistent about it, trying to win more games, and that’s the part that we want to keep,” Dalot said.

“It doesn’t mean that things will be lovely until the end of the season, but that’s where we want to go. We are really positive about it.

“We know that this storm that everybody is talking about, it will go away, but we need to suffer as a team, as a club, fans have to be together with us and I’m sure that they will rise again.”

Dalot said it is “massive” for the fans as well as the club to be heading into Sunday’s Premier League match at home to Crystal Palace on the back of three successive victories.

That run started after a chastening 3-1 home defeat to Brighton in their last Premier League outing at Old Trafford, which led Amorim to say they are the “worst team maybe in the history of Manchester United”.

“I don’t want to hear it,” Dalot said of the remarks. “So, the message for me is the next training session I have to show that I don’t want to belong to the worst Manchester United team in history.

“You can analyse it as something negative. I analyse it as something positive because I want to change the situation.

“My team-mates also, and we show today that we want to change this, so hopefully on Sunday we can do again.”

In other United news, forward Marcus Rashford is close to joining Aston Villa on loan, according to reports on Saturday.

Villa have moved for Rashford after selling Colombia striker Jhon Duran to Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr on Friday.

The 27-year-old had been linked with AC Milan and Barcelona, while his representatives are also believed to have held talks with Tottenham and West Ham during the January transfer window.

A temporary switch to Villa would allow Rashford to rehabilitate his tarnished reputation after his astonishing fall from grace in the last two years.

Villa could benefit from a revitalised Rashford with a point to prove as they look to challenge for a top-four finish in the Premier League, while also competing in the Champions League last 16.

Villa boss Unai Emery is sure to be asked about the interest in Rashford when his side face Wolves in Saturday’s late Premier League fixture.

Rashford has been looking to leave Old Trafford since admitting he was ready for a “new challenge” after being dropped by United boss Ruben Amorim for the Manchester derby in December.

The England star has missed all 12 of United’s games since then, with Amorim appearing to lose patience with Rashford recently when he suggested he would rather name the club’s 63-year-old goalkeeping coach in the squad.

Amorim said this week that Rashford would have to change his ways completely to end his exile.

But it now seems Rashford will get his wish to quit United before Monday’s transfer deadline.

Additional reporting by AFP