Arsenal’s academy has enjoyed great success under the guidance of Per Mertesacker in recent seasons.
Mertesacker started his work at Hale End in 2018 and has helped to develop a number of first-team stars at the club.
The emergence of Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri was a real positive for Mikel Arteta last season but even before then, the likes of Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith-Rowe had come through under the German.
Arsenal have formed a reputation as having one of the best youth set-ups in world football, however, Mertesacker’s intelligence and eye for a player may have helped Premier League rivals Manchester United.
Per Mertesacker changed Ayden Heaven into a defender at Arsenal’s academy
Speaking to the Athletic, the agent and mother of former Gunners defender Ayden Heaven has spoken of her admiration of Mertesacker and how he helped develop the career of her son.
Heaven departed for Manchester United in the January transfer window and went on to make a real impact at Old Trafford before injury hampered the end of his campaign.
In the report, Lisa Heaven described how it was the Gunners academy chief that first saw the potential that the 18-year-old had in a defensive position.
Heaven stated: “Per Mertesacker was like, ‘He’s not a midfielder, he’s not a winger, he’s a defender’. I was like no he’s a No. 6 he goes box to box.
“Then I saw him play at left-sided centre back and I thought, ‘OK you know best.’ I feel like Per always saw something in Ayden that no one else saw.”
Ruben Amorim is now reaping the rewards and should the former Gunners man recover in time, he could face his former club on the opening day of the new season.
Ayden Heaven could have saved Arsenal £20m this summer
Heaven left Arsenal as he believed he had a clearer pathway to first-team action in Manchester and he had already made six appearances for Amorim before a foot injury ended his campaign early.
With William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes forming a formidable central defensive partnership, Heaven was always going to find it tough to break through in North London.
However, last season proved that injuries can occur in football and Arsenal are interested in Cristhian Mosquera for a fee of around £20m in order to bolster options.
Had Arteta been able to persuade Heaven to stay at the club, he has already proven he has the ability to make an impact in the Premier League and that money could have been invested elsewhere.
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