Mikel Arteta has been left amazed by what 15-year-old Max Dowman is producing in Arsenal training sessions.
The young midfielder, still too young to drive or sit his GCSEs, has caught the attention of the first-team manager with his fearless play and maturity on the ball.
“When you look at Max Dowman in training, you have to play him — if not, you are blind, or I’m blind,” Arteta said with a smile ahead of Arsenal’s Carabao Cup clash with Brighton.
Dowman has already made two Premier League appearances this season after impressing in preseason, and his rise through the ranks has been nothing short of remarkable.
The youngster joined Arsenal at the age of five and is now on the verge of signing his first professional deal once he turns 17.
❤️🤍💫 Arteta: “When you look at Max Dowman in training, you have to play him – if not you are blind, or I’m blind”.
“The feeling that I have is that, genuinely, he loves it here. He’s huge Arsenal supporter and his family also”.
“Hopefully for many years he will be with us”. pic.twitter.com/yFe5y6xuxS
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) October 28, 2025
📲 Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp
The teen who trains like a veteran
Arteta admits that Dowman’s performances have made it difficult to ignore him, but he’s also cautious about overloading the teenager too early.
“He has a lot of exposure in training with us,” the Arsenal boss explained.
“A lot of new things are happening to him with the national team, playing with two different age groups, and with us. We have to manage that.”
Dowman missed Arsenal’s under-21 match against Chelsea last weekend, sparking talk that he might feature against Brighton.
And with Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz, and Gabriel Martinelli all sidelined, Arteta might have little choice but to let his young prodigy step into the spotlight once again.
“If we looked at his passport every day, we would never play him,” Arteta joked. “It’s about finding balance — understanding the load and everything that’s changing in his life. So far, he’s handled it really well.”
Arsenal’s next Hale End hero?
Despite interest from Barcelona and Manchester City, Arsenal are confident of keeping Dowman.
Arteta praised his connection with the club, saying: “He’s a huge Arsenal supporter, and his family also. Hopefully, for many years he will be with us.”
Inside the club, Dowman is viewed as one of the brightest Hale End graduates since Bukayo Saka — and given Arteta’s words, fans might not have to wait long to see him light up the Emirates.
