Arsenal wonderkid Max Dowman is one of the best young players in the world.
The 16-year-old has been a household name in English football over the last year because of his phenomenal talent at such a young age.
Dowman was officially promoted to the Arsenal first-team after a successful pre-season last summer, and he has played six times for the senior side so far.
Everyone knows how good Dowman is now, but one of the first people to notice that at Arsenal was Jack Wilshere, when he was a coach at U18 level.
Is there a bigger teenage prodigy at Arsenal right now than Max Dowman? 🌟
Oxlade-Chamberlain can't believe Dowman's talent…
What Jack Wilshere said to Declan Rice about a 14-year-old Max Dowman at Arsenal
Declan Rice joined Arsenal from West Ham United in the summer of 2023.
Not many people knew who Max Dowman was at the time, but he was making the right noises with his performances for the youth sides.
Wilshere gave Dowman a chance with the U18s in September of that year, when he was just 13 years old, and the youngster did not look out of place despite playing five years above his age group.
After a few more fantastic displays under Wilshere, the former Arsenal coach spoke to Rice about Dowman and heaped praise on him.
Speaking about the teenager, Rice told The Sun: “He’s incredible. He’s a talent that I’ve not seen at that age.
“I remember it was [Jack] Wilshere who first told me about him.
“He said: ‘I’ve got this 14-year-old who’s playing in the Under-18s. You need to watch him!’
“And from that moment on, it was just…you could tell. You know when a footballer’s good, and Max for sure has definitely got it.”
Imagine it’s the year 2030. How much is Max Dowman worth?
Max Dowman should be in the Arsenal squad for the North London Derby
Arsenal take on Tottenham Hotspur next in the North London Derby.
Mikel Arteta has hinted that Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard will return from their injuries, which is a big boost as the squad will be much stronger.
On the flip side, there will be two fewer spots on the bench for the younger players, which is bad news for Dowman, who made his injury return earlier this month.
However, we think Mikel Arteta should still find a way to include the teenager in the squad for the trip to Spurs, as he is capable of producing a moment of magic.
That is exactly what you need in a derby.
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