Max Dowman is expected to go on Arsenal’s pre-season tour this summer, with a view to him featuring in the first team in the 2025/26 campaign.
The teenage sensation lit up youth football last season, scoring 15 goals and registering five assists in just 15 appearances in the under-18 Premier League.
Fans have been blown away by Dowman’s talent, and it appears Mikel Arteta has too, with the Spaniard planning on using him in some capacity next term.
Arsenal Insider revealed back in April that Dowman will travel with the Arsenal first team to Asia for their pre-season fixtures in July.
The Gunners’ coaching staff will closely observe the starlet on tour before determining how ready he is to play men’s football.
If all goes well, he could make his breakthrough next season.
Dowman currently wears the number 99 shirt at Arsenal, but would surely change this if he were to be granted a prominent role in 2025/26.
With that said, here are three potential first-team numbers he could wear.
Three shirt numbers Max Dowman could take at Arsenal
Number 20
Currently 99, jumping to a number below 20 would be a serious sign that Dowman is about to assume an extremely prominent role in Arteta’s squad, and thus, it’s probably unlikely.
However, the number 20 shirt itself is available after Jorginho left Arsenal for Flamengo.
Previously worn by:
- Jorginho
- Nuno Tavares
- Shkodran Mustafi
- Mathieu Flamini
- Johan Djourou
- Philippe Senderos
Not a number worn by any iconic Arsenal heroes in the past, if Dowman were to take it, he’d have the opportunity to make it synonymous with himself in North London.
The youngster has also worn the number for the Arsenal under-19s, so it may hold some significance to him.
Number 25
The number 25 shirt has been vacant at Arsenal since Mohamed Elneny departed in the summer of 2024.
Previously worn by:
- Mohamed Elneny
- Carl Jenkinson
- Emmanuel Adebayor
- Nwankwo Kanu
- Scott Marshall
Like 20, 25 is another round number that Dowman may feel has iconic potential.
Number 28
28 has been unworn at Arsenal since 2021, with Joe Willock the last man to adopt the number in Arsenal colours.
Unlike some of the other numbers in the high 20s and low 30s, 28 has been worn by a few Hale End graduates who Dowman may have grown up watching, including Willock and Kieran Gibbs.
Previously worn by:
- Joe Willock
- Joel Campbell
- Kieran Gibbs
- Amaury Bischoff
- Kolo Toure
Gibbs made over 200 appearances for the Arsenal first team, and Dowman would no doubt be delighted to follow in the left-back’s footsteps in this regard, perhaps taking his original shirt number in the process.
Other available numbers Dowman could take: 26, 27, 30, 32, 34, 35, 37, 38, 40.
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