Fifteen-year-old Max Dowman has spent the last few weeks training alongside Arsenal‘s senior squad, and his presence hasn’t gone unnoticed. Manager Mikel Arteta has showered him with glowing words, calling him “very impressive” and revealing that some of what Dowman does in practice is “unbelievable.” For a club lauded for its youth development, the arrival of another gifted midfielder is causing a stir at London Colney.
A fast-rising prospect
Dowman’s quick adaptation is what has everyone buzzing. “He’s taking very fast steps because every time you give him a different challenge, he overcomes that quickly,” Arteta said. Behind those calm words is genuine excitement. Staff members keep whispering that, if not for strict age rules, Dowman would already be knocking on the door of Premier League or Champions League minutes.
That won’t happen just yet. Red tape around age regulations means Dowman must wait until at least next season to make any senior squad appearance in league play. But that hasn’t stopped him from making the most of every training session. “He’s a player with a huge talent that we have a lot of belief we can develop into becoming one of our own,” Arteta added in his Champions League pre-match conference. The manager’s confidence isn’t surprising given the club’s current reliance on emerging talents, especially with injuries depleting first-team options.
Dowman isn’t the only teenager soaking up the spotlight. Ethan Nwaneri, Riccardo Calafiori—signed this summer for about 49 million US dollars from Bologna—and others are returning from injury layoffs and hoping to bolster an Arsenal side still juggling a demanding schedule. A win in their Champions League tie with Dinamo Zagreb would secure a much-needed step toward the next phase, potentially granting them time for a warm-weather break.
Arteta has seen first-hand how important such a breather can be. “We need a strong performance,” he said. “Then, if we manage to do that, we’ll have the best ideas on the table to make the right decision” regarding any mid-season camp. For now, Arsenal’s next game looms, but there’s a subtle shift in the air. The excitement over Dowman’s rise is palpable, and his presence is another reminder that Arsenal’s tradition of nurturing teenage talent remains alive and well.
