When it comes to identifying the future stars at Arsenal, or any academy across the country, perspective matters. Just one player from an age-group team making it to the Gunners first XI is rare in itself.
However, the case of 14-year-old Max Dowman feels markedly different to many of the ‘next big things’ that have experienced similar hype in their early teenage years.
Yes, it’s very early days for Dowman — he does not even have a profile picture on the Arsenal academy website — but all the ingredients are there.
He is tall — listed at 5ft 7in previously but still growing — and very physical for his age. In the Arsenal Under 19 UEFA Youth League matches this season, played against the Gunners’ Champions League opponents, he has often been the team’s star player, despite being from multiple age groups below.
On Sunday, he became the youngest player ever to feature for Arsenal at Under 21 level or equivalent after coming off the bench in a 1-1 draw with Brighton. A remarkable feat.
And recently, Rio Ferdinand tipped the teenager to become the next academy star to break into Mikel Arteta’s first-team squad.
Max Dowman – who is still only 14 – is being tipped for big things at Arsenal after already making his U21 debut
Academies from across the Premier League have been quick to register their interest in Dowman
The youngster has been tipped to break into Mikel Arteta’s senior squad by Rio Ferdinand
Mail Sport understands that multiple Premier League academies have approached Dowman’s father to register their interest his son. They are all eagerly monitoring his next steps, with 16 the minimum age for a player to sign a scholarship. The earliest point Arsenal can officially sign Dowman to scholarship terms is ahead of the 2026-27 season.
Up until then, luring him away wouldn’t be too tricky in terms of practicalities. He turns 15 on December 31, making next year all the more crucial for his future.
Arteta handed Ethan Nwaneri his league debut against Brentford in September 2022, making him the youngest player in the competition’s history at 15 years and 181 days.
It’s understood that Arteta is open to the idea of having Dowman on the first-team bench for a game before the season ends. The Arsenal hierarchy are keen to show upcoming talent there is a pathway to the first team after a summer exodus.
The likes of Amario Cozier-Duberry, Lino Sousa and Reuell Walters left for Brighton, Aston Villa and Luton Town during the summer, but the departure which hurt most was that of Chido Obi-Martin.
The then 16-year-old had broken a slew of records, but the striker opted to join Manchester United despite the Gunners’ best efforts to keep him.
Unsurprisingly, Arsenal don’t want a repeat of this.
There are clear similarities between Dowman and Gunners captain Martin Odegaard in terms of playing style.
Chido Obi-Martin left Arsenal for Manchester United over the summer despite the Gunners’ best efforts to keep him
The teenager, who has barely started studying for his GCSEs, has been capped by England’s U17s
There is a clear similarity with the playing style of Arsenal’s senior captain Martin Odegaard
Against Sporting Lisbon’s Under 19s last week, the youngster played in a right midfield in the 3-0 defeat and was confident taking players on as well as threading passes through the backline.
There were a couple of moments when he sprinted at full speed to close down the opposition goalkeeper in a manner similar to Odegaard, looking left and right to see no one else joining him before haring down the pitch.
Particularly eye-catching was his physicality. Dowman consistently evaded and bounced off tackles using excellent hip agility and a slim, but strong upper body. When it came to shoulder-to-shoulder contact, he gave as good as he got and never seemed deterred — even against stronger players several years his senior.
There was even a moment when his aggression spilled over. In the second half, Sporting’s Afonso Moreira sprung up off the floor to confront an Arsenal player who appeared to have clipped his head. Dowman came wading in and grabbed Moreira by the shirt, the two teens grappling for a few seconds.
Context is key here — this wasn’t your everyday pushing and shoving. Moreira is a 19-year-old with a 60million Euros release clause, Dowman is a 14-year-old who has barely started studying his GCSEs.
Against Inter Milan, when the Gunners lost 4-1, the ball appeared glued to his feet as opposition players time and again were either dribbled past or over-committed with challenges, leaving Dowman the room to make attacking passes.
In this match he played in a midfield role in which he cut in from both flanks. When facing Atalanta, he played in a more conventional No 10 role behind the striker.
Arsenal’s Under 19s have lost four of their five European matches so far with only one remaining.
Dowman has already trained with the first team and could make the bench before the end of the season
Dowman will turn 15 on New Year’s Eve and cannot sign a scholarship at Arsenal until before the 2026-27 season
The versatile young midfielder played on the right of midfield in an U19s clash with Sporting CP
But in the clash with Atalanta’s U19s he was instead deployed in behind the central striker
That has meant opportunities to get on the ball and drive forward at opponents have been hard to come by. This has seen Dowman drop too deep on occasion as looked to receive possession.
He vaulted into the public eye in September last year when Arsenal’s then Under 18 manager Jack Wilshere handed Dowman his debut aged 13 in a 4-0 win against Southampton.
‘Debut opportunities aren’t handed out lightly and Max has demonstrated over the past few months that he deserves this chance,’ Wilshere said.
‘He handled the moment admirably, sending an important message to the team that, when we introduce players, they possess the quality to contribute effectively.’
Around that time he agreed a boot deal with Adidas after being headhunted by Nike and Puma earlier in the season.
In February this year, Dowman was called up to the England Under 16s and then also debuted for the Under 17s in September, scoring three goals in eight matches.
He has made a habit of skipping age groups at domestic, European and international levels. This is highly abnormal, though it must be stressed, that nothing is guaranteed despite his current trajectory.
Charlie Patino is an example worth bringing up here. He, like Dowman, is an attacking midfielder who played for the Under 18s aged 14.
Like Dowman, Charlie Patino – described as the best player to ever walk through the doors at Hale End, played for the U18s at 14
It would be a safe bet for Dowman being Arsenal’s next academy player to become a star
Sean O’Connor, head scout at the club, described him as the ‘best player who has ever walked through the doors at the Hale End academy’.
In December 2020, a 17-year-old Patino made his senior debut in a 5–1 Carabao Cup quarter-final victory against Sunderland and even found the net.
A path to a regular spot around the first team seemed destined but, after a couple of underwhelming loan spells at Blackpool and Swansea, Patino signed for Deportivo La Coruna in the Spanish second division in August this year. He has made just three substitute appearances this season.
Football pathways are unpredictable. But if you were to put money on which Arsenal academy player will be the next to become a star, Dowman would be a smart bet.
