Mikel Arteta praises wonderkid, 15, training with Arsenal first-team - but reveals problem
15-year-old Max Dowman has been training with the Arsenal first-team and Gunners boss Mikel Arteta has hinted he could make his debut if some "issues" with red tape do not prevent it
by Matthew Cooper · The MirrorMikel Arteta has branded 15-year-old wonderkid Max Dowman "unbelievable" after he trained with the Arsenal first-team, but there are some "issues" that could stop him making his debut.
Dowman is one of several youngsters who has been training with the first-team as a result of Arsenal's injury crisis, but Arteta has been impressed by the teenager. And speaking ahead of Arsenal's Champions League clash with Dinamo Zagreb, Arteta suggested he could hand Dowman his debut if red tape does not prevent it.
When asked for his thoughts on the young midfielder, Dowman replied: "Very impressive at his age. Some of the things he does in training are unbelievable. He's a player with a huge talent that we have a lot belief that we can develop him into becoming one of our own and he's doing very well so far.
"At the moment with all the legislation there are a lot of restrictions, something that in other countries you don't even mention. We will have to wait and see. He's taking very fast steps because every time you give him a different challenge or put him at a different level he overcomes that quickly which is great. We are on it."
Dowman has been compared to Brazilian legend Kaka and Arsenal's former Under-18s manager Jack Wilshere revealed last year that the club were looking to "fast-track" him to the first-team. Speaking after a then 14-year-old Dowman assisted four goals in a win over Fulham's Under-18s, Wilshere told club media : "There's always a concern when fielding such a young player in these matches, but if you're good enough you're old enough.
"He can be more consistent but he's only 14 and hasn't even started his GCSEs yet. We need to find a balance of letting him play and enjoy the game because of his age but also trying to get as much work into him as we can.
"Hopefully, we can fast-track him and when he goes over to the first team he'll be more ready. I really enjoyed the performance. We had a blend of players spanning from under-14s to under-18s. It's always intriguing to see how they play together, how they fight together, and today, I felt we witnessed that in abundance.
"It's reassuring to know that if I field an under-14 who isn't a regular in our training sessions, I can trust that they grasp our playing style and tactics. Today, they demonstrated that understanding flawlessly, which is a testament to the diligent work of all our coaches.
"We take a holistic view of the academy, pushing our players to excel. Debut opportunities aren't handed out lightly, and Max has demonstrated over the past few months that he deserves this chance.
"There are others on the verge of stepping up as well. He handled the moment admirably, sending an important message to the team that when we introduce players, they possess the quality to contribute effectively."
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