Napoli Sets Sights on Arsenal’s Rising Star Defender

Napoli is showing keen interest in Arsenal’s young defensive talent Ayden Heaven, whose contract is set to expire next June. The Italian club is looking to bolster its defensive lineup and sees the 18-year-old as a potential addition.

Heaven, despite his young age, has already caught the attention of Arsenal’s first-team coach Mikel Arteta, who described him as ‘impressive’ during a pre-season camp. However, the defender has primarily featured for Arsenal’s U21 side so far.

The situation surrounding Heaven’s contract has attracted interest from several top European clubs. Premier League giants Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, and Newcastle are all reportedly monitoring the young talent. German powerhouses Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen, and Borussia Dortmund have also expressed interest.

Heaven joined Arsenal at age 13 after spending four years in West Ham’s academy. Known for his physical presence and solid technical skills, he has steadily progressed through Arsenal’s youth ranks.

While Arsenal remains hopeful of securing Heaven’s future with an improved contract offer, Napoli’s sporting director Giovanni Manna is closely watching the situation. Heaven could potentially be a valuable addition to strengthen Napoli’s defense for the upcoming season under new manager Antonio Conte.

As the race for Heaven’s signature heats up, it remains to be seen whether Napoli can outmaneuver the competition and secure the promising young defender’s services.