Arsenal were back in action this week as they played their first pre-season friendly vs AC Milan.
The Gunners ran out 1-0 winners via a goal from Bukayo Saka, but, after the game, there was only one name on everybody’s lips, Max Dowman.
Dowman impressed against Milan as he made his Arsenal debut at the age of just 15, and we’ve now all seen why the teenager has been tipped to be a star.
Speaking on his podcast, Rio Ferdinand has been discussing Dowman’s potential and his ability, and he says that he’s heard some incredible things about the youngster.
Rio Ferdinand has heard rave reviews about Max Dowman
Ferdinand spoke about Dowman and what he’s heard about this young man.
The pundit says that the teenager is another gem out of the Arsenal academy system, while he says that the people he knows at Arsenal have been raving about him too.
“Max Dowman. Don’t forget that name, guys. Max Dowman,” Ferdinand said.
Hale End and Arsenal have produced another young gem. They’ve got Nwaneri coming through too, I think this season could be a breakout year, proper breakout year. I hope it will be.
They’ve already had Saka a few years ago now. And this 15-year-old is talking about that Max Dowman, who, for me, I’ve got to say, guys, I mean, he’s become one of the youngest Arsenal players to appear for the club in a preseason friendly in Singapore against AC Milan, by the way.
“Not minnows, against AC Milan. And if you haven’t seen the clip, I’d advise you to go online. Just have a little look.
Go online. It’s early days, but it looks like Declan Rice has taken him under his wing. He posted a picture up yesterday and today with him on the coach, traveling about.
He’s definitely the best 15 year old in the country. Probably in Europe right now. Maybe the world.”
“And what I’m hearing from Arsenal, in the Arsenal camp, from the people, some of the people that I know there, is that he is transferring, his 15 year old ability that he showed with the under 18s, with Arsenal, with England playing years up with the under 21s, and he’s shifting that into the first team, when he’s training with the first team. “
The players are going like‘woah’ the coaches after are going like, well, we’ve never really seen this type of thing.
“Transferring that from the young ages into the first team is just ridiculous. So, long may this continue.”
Rio Ferdinand has known about Max Dowman for a while
Ferdinand has been hyping Dowman up after his debut for Arsenal, but the pundit isn’t jumping on the bandwagon here.
Indeed, Ferdinand was one of the first pundits to start discussing Dowman as a future star, even at the age of 14.
Last year, Ferdinand was speaking about Dowman, saying:
“They’ve got another one under him (Nwaneri) by the way, a kid called Max Dowman. Please go online and check out this kid,” Ferdinand said.
“He was 14, I saw him coaching 18 and 19-year-olds on the pitch when he was playing with them. And he plays a little bit in that Odegaard position as well, bad player.”
Dowman looks like a real star of the future, and, as Ferdinand says, football fans across the country need to remember this name.
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