Owen Hargreaves says Max Dowman is already better than Martin Odegaard in one area after Arsenal debut

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Arsenal youngster Max Dowman continues to capture the attention after making his historic debut for the club against Leeds United.

The 15-year-old was handed his first minutes for the senior side when Mikel Arteta substituted him on during the match at the Emirates Stadium.

It was an impressive debut for Dowman, who managed to win a penalty late in the game, which was converted by Viktor Gyokeres.

As Arsenal cruised to a 5-0 win over Leeds, plenty of focus was placed on the Hale End academy graduate and what an exciting prospect he is for the future.

While there is still plenty of work to do, some have even pointed out how Dowman may have some attributes that are better than those currently in the team.

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Owen Hargreaves claims Max Dowman is already quicker than Martin Odegaard

After Dowman’s first appearance for the senior side, many have already contemplated where he could play for Arsenal in the future.

The youngster featured on the right flank, in a similar role to where Ethan Nwaneri started out for the side.

However, his future may well be in the attacking midfield role, providing long-term competition with Martin Odegaard.

Former Manchester United star Owen Hargreaves believes that Dowman already does one thing better than the Arsenal captain, however.

Speaking on The Weekend Wrap, he said: “This guy [Dowman] is the real deal, isn’t he?

“I mean, 15 years old, what is going on? I don’t know if it’s in the food or in the genes, but for real, this kid shouldn’t be doing this.

“Do you know what I like as well? He’s smooth with it, he’s composed like Saka,”

Don Hutchinson added: “Stylistically, he’s similar to Odegaard, isn’t he?” to which Hargreaves responded: “Yeah, but he’s quicker, he’s more explosive. This young man is the real deal.”

It’s high praise for the youngster, but he could still learn plenty from Odegaard before he really challenges him for a place in the team.

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Max Dowman can learn from Martin Odegaard’s career trajectory

While he is a star now, it wasn’t always easy for Martin Odegaard to make his way onto the big stage, playing the biggest games.

The Norwegian international was a wonderkid, much like Max Dowman, and made his breakthrough for Stromsgodset.

An early transfer to Real Madrid saw some struggles to break into the side, with several loan spells following.

Odegaard’s move to Arsenal provided a platform, somewhere he could call home again and something to build from.

There are no doubt endless pieces of advice the club captain could provide on how to deal with the pressure of being at a big club at such a young age, helping to mentor Dowman towards the senior team.

Given how he has been thrust into the spotlight very quickly, it may be something that he needs to eventually fulfil his potential.