Ayden Heaven move sees Manchester United start to tackle embarrassing £68m truth

There are a multitude of problems that Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS need to address as they bid to turn around the fortunes of Manchester United.

The club’s struggles on the pitch this season have been well documented, and boss Ruben Amorim, who only arrived back in November, has endured a baptism of fire in the United hot-seat, the issues facing him having become apparent very quickly indeed. That should be seen as a good thing.

January is often a time where clubs who are struggling add new players, with the price of acquiring new talent for clubs who are chasing silverware often inflated, with selling clubs having the leverage and not willing to part ways with their key assets while they chase their own success, or try to stave off failure.

For United, languishing in 12th in the Premier League and 12 points off the top four and Champions League qualification, a gap that seems insurmountable at this stage of the season given their form and the form of those already occupying the top four spots, they have been linked with players this window, but the links have largely been with players who can be impactful into the future, not for the here and now.

Lecce’s Danish full-back Patrick Dorgu, 20, has been heavily linked, while United are reported to be on the cusp of agreeing a fee with Arsenal to sign 18-year-old central defender Ayden Heaven.

A move for Heaven would come a few months on from United swooping to land another Arsenal starlet, 17-year-old striker Chido Obi-Martin, who arrived in the summer of 2024.

READ MORE: Chats with Varane and extra recovery sessions - how Leny Yoro is settling in at Manchester United

READ MORE: Manchester United progressing with a deal for Patrick Dorgu ahead of transfer deadline

Tho