Ian Wright has revealed what he’s hearing from inside the Arsenal squad about Hale End star Max Dowman.
Matchday two was all about Dowman, who became a record breaker before he even kicked a ball against Leeds United.
When he did eventually come on, the 15-year-old left the opposition and the entire footballing world stunned, as he got stuck right into the action.
Playing seasoned players twice his age, Dowman was completely fearless at Premier League level, something that those at Arsenal are struggling to comprehend.
What the Arsenal squad have been saying about Max Dowman
After pre-season, Mikel Arteta admitted it’s ‘strange’ how ready Dowman is to play against the very best in the Premier League.
The Arsenal manager put wheels in motion by handing the 2009-born ace a lengthy cameo against Leeds, where he won a penalty and wreaked havoc on the right side.
Dowman is the talk of the country, and even those closest to him are in disbelief at what the youngster is doing right now.
Speaking on the Stick To Football podcast, Ian Wright revealed what he’s heard from speaking to the Arsenal squad about Dowman.
“The thing with Max Dowman, when you speak to the guys in the team, they are just flabbergasted,” Wright said.
“The guys and what they say about him. Remember, we’re talking about 15-year-olds in the first team, and we heard about a 13-year-old playing for the under-18s, 14 playing for the under 21s.”
The Arsenal legend then pinpointed what it is about the teenager that his first team teammates just ‘can’t believe’.
“It’s the ability to take on the information; they can’t believe it.”
Wright’s insight is unsurprising, as Noni Madueke said Dowman’s personality ‘amazes’ him above his talent on the pitch.
The 15-year-old boyhood Arsenal fan is achieving a dream in Arteta’s squad without feeling any pressure, which is the perfect scenario to aid his growth.
Dowman has so much support at Arsenal
What is so exciting is that Dowman isn’t the only academy talent Arteta is looking at.
Naturally, the 15-year-old is the most spoken about due to his ability to make senior football at Premier League level look like a kick about at the park, which is how Arsenal want the game to feel for the youngster.
Arsenal don’t want attention on Dowman just yet, but as we’ve seen, it’ll be hard to contain him given just how good he is.
Fortunately, Dowman has huge support in the Arsenal squad, with Declan Rice in particular being a mentor to the teen, who is balancing the Premier League and his GCSEs.
The future is so bright for Arsenal’s academy, with Dowman the latest prodigy to emerge from Hale End.
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