Ayden Heaven has been speaking to club media about his partnership with Leny Yoro, the relationship he has with our coaches and which team-mates have inspired him the most.

The 19-year-old defender has already got plenty of experience under his belt since making his United debut a little over a year ago, after joining the Reds from Arsenal last February.

Heaven says he has developed a good relationship with his centre-back colleague Yoro since that move and the Frenchman, who is a year older than him, is someone he rates highly.

With fellow defenders Lisandro Martinez and Matthijs de Ligt sidelined with injuries, both Yoro and Heaven have had opportunities to make an impression on the pitch of late.

The latter now has 15 first-team matches under his belt in 2025/26 - the most he's got in a single season of his young career.

Yoro, meanwhile, has started each of United's last five games and, when asked about his good friend's recent run in the team, Heaven said: “He deserves it. He has showed what he can do ever since he came here, so I am happy for him.

“He is quick, good on the ball, good in the air. He has got everything you need as a centre-back, so he will become top.”

Both Heaven and Yoro are benefitting from the opportunity to work with two former Premier League centre-backs at United.

Jonny Evans and Jonathan Woodgate have been on the coaching team since Michael Carrick took up the position of head coach in January, and Ayden told us that he and Leny are relishing the chance to feed off such experience.

“Me and Leny always do extras with Jonathan Woodgate and Jonny Evans, and we are always learning and helping each other a lot,” he explained, in our exclusive interview.

“We still have a lot to learn, because we are still very young. The guys help us, and we are always trying to improve.”

Evans was, of course, a team-mate of the pair at United before hanging up his boots last summer. Ayden believes the short time he spent working with Jonny as a player aids his relationship with him now.

“Jonny helped me a lot last season when he was a player,” Heaven added. “It is always good to have those senior players, and now that he is a coach it is great to have that past relationship with him. Me and Jonny have a good connection.”

Our developing no.26 isn't only learning from past players, either. When asked which team-mates have had the biggest influence on his career so far, he picked out Harry Maguire and former Arsenal colleague William Saliba.

“Just having that reassurance \[of them\] next to you,” he gave as the reason, when expanding on his answer. “You’re not that afraid when you have got that experience beside you.”

HEAVEN ALWAYS LEARNING FROM FELLOW CENTRE-BACKS - Jorgen Hatten