Mikel Arteta confirms Arsenal first-team plans for 15-year-old Max Dowman
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed that 15-year-old Max Dowman will be part of the club’s pre-season preparations this summer.
Dowman has enjoyed an outstanding season for Arsenal’s youth teams, bagging 19 goals and five assists in 23 appearances across all competitions.
His late-season form for the Under-18s has been particularly eye-catching, with 14 goals and three assists in just his last seven games.
His numbers and performances have marked him as one of the most exciting talents at the club.
At 15, Dowman is already an England youth international, having received a call-up to represent the Young Lions at the U17 European Championships.
But once that tournament ends, he’d be handed a breather before linking up with Arsenal’s senior squad for their summer tour of Asia.
Arsenal are heading on tour to Singapore and Hong Kong, where they will face AC Milan, Newcastle United, and Tottenham Hotspur.
“I think Max [Dowman], probably, will be in and around the pre-season,” Arteta said (via The Standard).
“Obviously, he’s got a very busy schedule as well in the summer because he is in a tournament at the moment, and he’s going to need some rest.”
Arteta also hinted that other academy players will join the first team for the tour, adding that surprises could be in store as more young talents get opportunities.
The Arsenal boss has already shown that he’s not shy about tapping into the club’s revered academy.
This season, Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly both made their mark in the senior set-up and have received plenty of praise for their maturity and immense potential.
Lewis-Skelly has already gone on to represent England’s senior set-up and even scored on his international debut, spurring the Three Lions to a 2-0 win against Albania.
The success of both players has further encouraged Arteta to trust the academy pipeline. Meanwhile, the Gunners are expected to be busy in the transfer market this summer.
Reports claim a deal for Martin Zubimendi is already in the pipeline, but there are also talks about a potential move for either Rodrygo or Ademola Lookman.
The post Mikel Arteta confirms Arsenal first-team plans for 15-year-old Max Dowman first appeared on ArsenalNews.co.uk.