Ayden Heaven: Manchester United defender will not switch to Ghana from England

Manchester United defender Ayden Heaven will not switch allegiance from England to Ghana to play in next summer’s World Cup.

London-born Heaven, 19, qualifies for Ghana through a grandparent and the Ghana FA has been monitoring his development.

Ghana have been drawn in the same group as England, Croatia and Panama for the World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico.

Sources have told BBC Sport that Heaven, who joined United from Arsenal in February after making one appearance for the Gunners, wants to represent England at senior level.

Heaven has played for England at various age groups.

He suffered an ankle injury playing for the Under-20s against Switzerland in October, was replaced at half-time and was not selected for November’s match against Japan.

Heaven made two substitute appearances for United in the Premier League this season before starting against West Ham on 4 December in the centre of a three-man defence.

He was booked after eight minutes and taken off at half-time, but has started all four matches since and improved significantly in each.

He was excellent in the 2-1 defeat at Aston Villa on 21 December and was man of the match in the 1-0 victory over Newcastle on Friday, when United kept only their second clean sheet of the season.

Manager Ruben Amorim said: «I am really pleased with Ayden. You can feel that he is improving every game.

«He is young, but you can feel that he has a good game, slows the thinking and improves during the game.

«He trained really well and, if he continues to play like that, it is going to be really hard to take his place.»