Jaden Heskey is yet another hot Manchester City prospect who is making waves in the Elite Development Squad but who exactly is he?
Manchester City have developed one of, if not the, best academies in the country in recent years and the number of talent it’s producing is the proof.
Not only has it provided Pep Guardiola with the likes of Phil Foden, Rico Lewis and Jahmai Simpson-Pusey but the club has sold a long list of players to other clubs for big profit.
One starlet who will be hoping he joins the first-team squad, though, is Jaden Heskey, who is earning rave reviews for his dynamic performances and knack for scoring.
Here is everything you need to know about him.
How old is Jaden Heskey?
Jaden Emile Tyrone Heskey was born on December 17, 2005 in Manchester, England. As of February 2025, he is 19 years old.
Is Jaden Heskey Emile Heskey’s son?
Yes, Jaden is the son of iconic Premier League and England striker Emile Heskey, who enjoyed an illustrious career of over 700 games with the likes of Liverpool, Leicester City and Aston Villa.
Jaden is one of six siblings and one of his brothers, the younger Reigan Heskey, is his teammate in the City academy and also very highly rated.
Instagram and X/Twitter accounts
Heskey has an official Instagram account with nearly 30k followers, which you can find @jadenheskey.
He does not appear to have an official X, formerly Twitter, account.
What position does Jaden Heskey play?
Heskey is proving himself to have the skill that will give him a great chance of succeeded at City, that being versatility.
Just as Lewis has flourished by being able to play on either flank or midfield, Heskey is showing he is willing and able to move outside of his comfort zone.
Though he is a forward by trade, the youngster has been playing really well in an all-action midfield role of late.
As his father, Emile Heskey, told TalkSPORT: “Jayden is a forward but he plays in midfield as well.
“He’s been playing at No.8 at this moment in time and he’s doing well as well. Real box-to-box engine. He has a little trick in him as well but he’s more of a team player.”
Heskey went on to say about both his sons: “I love watching them.
“From a young age, I always said I would just be the dad, I would not dictate what they’re doing. I’ve been lucky in a sense that they’re at arguably one of, if not the best, academy to be at for development so you just leave them and let them enjoy that journey.
“Obviously then getting into Under-21s and then first-team football is a little bit different and they might need a bit of guidance then but when it comes to development I would say City and Chelsea are arguably the best.”
Is Jaden Heskey good?
Heskey is very highly rated by City and has already caught the eye of Guardiola.
The exciting teenager was one of several of the club’s academy prospects taken on 2024’s pre-season tour of the United States of America to beef up the squad, with the majority of senior stars still on their holidays.
Unlike many of his cohorts, though, Heskey was actually handed his first game for the first team as a substitute in the 2-2 draw with Barcelona in Florida, coming on in the final minutes of the match.
Though he has not been near the first team since the season began, Heksey has continued to shine for the Under-21s.
He has become a guaranteed starter in Ben Wilkinson’s side and a crucial cog in a midfield that has won the last seven Premier League 2 games in a row with a goal difference of +24.
Wilkinson used to manage the Under-18s and has helped nurture Heskey’s talent for years. Speaking in 2022, he said of the starlet after a performance in the FA Youth Cup: “I’m really pleased for Jaden.
“He works incredibly hard in training and has probably not had as many opportunities as he would have liked this season so far.
“But he was the perfect player for the game. Jaden brought physicality, he receives the ball really well in the front line and brings others into play.
“He worked incredibly hard and got into the box with two good finishes.
“That will be great for his confidence and in the last few games he has been great for us.”
Jaden Heskey goals and highlights
Heskey scored a brace in a 3-0 win over Blackburn Rovers in the Youth Cup in 2023.
Despite an injury ravaged 2022-23, Heskey returned to captain the Under-18s in 2023-24 and captained the side to an FA Youth Cup triumph. He also scored in the 4-0 win over Leeds United in the final.
Jaden Heskey Man City squad number
Though he is not yet in Guardiola’s squad, Heskey has been handed the squad number No.81, which he wears during matches in the EFL Trophy.
When did Man City sign Jaden Heskey?
Heskey first joined City when he was just eight years old and has now been with the club for a decade. He has risen through the ranks since joining the academy to the cusp of the first team.
Jaden Heskey stats
| Age Group | Appearances | Goals | Assists | Yellow cards | Red cards |
| Under-18s | 35 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| Under-19s (UEFA Youth League) | 12 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Under-21s | 28 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
Trophies and honours
- x1 FA Youth Cup – 2024
- x2 Under-18 League – 2021/22, 2022/23
- x1 Premier League 2 – 2022/23
