Jack Wilshere believes that Max Dowman is unlike anything else he’s ever seen, having managed him for Arsenal’s U18s.
Dowman has exploded onto the scene at Arsenal this season and is quickly becoming an important player for the Gunners.
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The teenager is undoubtedly one of the best talents to ever emerge from Hale End Academy, but it has always been clear that he was a very special player.
Wilshere has now been recalling his time working with the 16-year-old and has been discussing the way in which he has taken to life as a Premier League player.
Jack Wilshere on managing Max Dowman at Arsenal
Jack Wilshere says he has never seen a young talent quite like Arsenal attacker Max Dowman.
Wilshere was a serious young prodigy himself; however, the former Gunner never quite fulfilled his potential at the Emirates Stadium.
But after heading into management, Wilshere has had the chance to work with several top young talents during his time in North London.
Dowman was one of the players he had during his time as the coach of the under-18s, and he could not believe how good he was, even at just 13.
When asked whether he has been surprised by how quickly Dowman has taken to life as a Premier League player, he told TalkSPORT: “No, genuinely, because I’ve never seen anything like that.
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“I’ve never seen anything like that from the moment you know he played in the under-18s when he was 13. I remember putting him on against Southampton and being the best player on the pitch. That’s not normal, and so I knew.
“Listen, he’s still got loads to do, the way that Mikel wants the team to play and how structured they are, like he has to learn that.
“That’s generally all I tried to give him was to give him a head start when Mikel takes him, so that he understood what he wants from him.
“He wouldn’t be perfect at it, but he’s got some fantastic ability that you sometimes just can’t ignore, it doesn’t matter how old you are, and it feels like he’s becoming quite an important player for them at the moment.”
Already, there is a lot of talk around that Dowman could be selected for England this summer, and surely he needs to be in Thomas Tuchel’s thinking.
The teenager has changed the game on several occasions for Arsenal this term, coming off the bench and making a big impact.
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