Arsenal aren’t worried about losing Max Dowman despite interest from elsewhere, while the North London club believe he’ll find his way into the first team within the next few seasons, Arsenal Insider understands.
Dowman is making waves at Hale End, garnering minutes in the under-21s and training with the first team this season, despite only turning 15 in December.
The youngster netted a hat-trick for the under-18s against Leicester City last week, with two of his strikes ridiculous solo efforts.
Not yet eligible to be tied down to a professional contract, there is unsurprisingly interest from other clubs in Dowman, although the player is happy at Arsenal and the Gunners are confident of securing his long-term future.
Arsenal confident of securing Max Dowman’s long-term future
Becoming the youngest-ever Premier League 2 player in December, at the age of 14, there is excitement from within Hale End that they may have one of the most exciting talents in the country on their hands.
Dowman isn’t eligible to feature for Arsenal in the Premier League this season, as he was too young when the campaign started, and Mikel Arteta may be ruining this, as the starlet likely would’ve been in contention to make the bench on a handful of occasions had he been available.
The Gunners have lost the likes of Ayden Heaven, Chido Obi and Omari Hutchinson to rivals clubs in recent transfer windows, but there’s little concern that this will happen with Dowman.
TBR Football’s Graeme Bailey told Arsenal Insider that if Dowman keeps progressing in the way he is, then there’s no reason why he couldn’t feature in the first team next campaign.
“Arsenal’s mantra is, ‘if they’re good enough, they’re old enough’,” he said.
“If he keeps progressing, there will be that chance, of course there will. We’ve seen that with [Ethan] Nwaneri, [Myles] Lewis-Skelly, [Bukayo] Saka, [Emile] Smith Rowe.
“That’s why Arsenal are very comfortable with their youth players. If you don’t want to stay in their youth system, they’re not going to beg you to stay. If you’re good enough, you will get that chance at Arsenal.
“They’re very happy with that system the way it is. Dowman, Arsenal love him, they love the way he’s progressing. They’re not worried about other clubs looking at him.
“If a player doesn’t want to be at a club, what can they do? Arsenal aren’t alone in thinking that, especially with these young players. They’re not going to beg a 15-year-old to stay, if they don’t want to be there, the club’s don’t really want you there.
“But Dowman does want to be at Arsenal, I believe his family think it’s the best place for him, there’s no hints of him going anywhere else. Clearly he’s going to generate interest, he’s one of the best young players of his age in the country, it’s only natural.
“Will he get his chance this summer, or next summer? We’ll have to wait and see.”
What Mikel Arteta has said about Max Dowman
Graceful when moving with the ball and an exceptional passer, Dowman could eventually develop into Martin Odeagaard’s replacement in the long term.
For now, he’ll need nurturing and his integration into the first team will need to be very carefully managed.
Arsenal have shown with Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly that they’re exceptional at forensically managing young players’ integration into the senior set-up.
Speaking about Dowman back in January, Arteta waxed lyrical about the teenage sensation.
“Very impressive, at his age as well,” he said.
“Some of the things he does in training are unbelievable. He’s a player obviously with a huge talent that we have a lot of belief that we can develop him into becoming one of our own and he’s doing very well so far.
“At the moment, with all of the legislation, there are restrictions with his age, something that in other countries you don’t even mention. So, we’ll have to wait and see [on senior minutes].
“He’s taking very fast steps because every time you put him in a different challenge, different level, he overcomes ahead pretty quickly, which is great. We are on it.”
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