Multiple Premier League academies have approached Max Dowman’s camp to try and lure him away, but Mikel Arteta is open to including him in a first-team squad to keep him around.
Isaan Khan reports for the Daily Mail that multiple Premier League academies have approached Max Dowman’s father, with the player currently on the books with Arsenal.
Dowman is currently too young for a scholarship deal, and can’t sign one until the summer of 2026, which makes it a lot easier to snap him up at this stage.
But Mikel Arteta is willing to step in to help keep the 14-year-old at the club. Khan reports that Arteta is even open to the idea of having Dowman on a first-team bench this season, to show him that there’s a pathway to senior football.
In the meantime, Dowman is a regular in first-team training with Arteta. He was involved again ahead of last week’s clash with West Ham United, in part because he’s too young to play in the Arsenal u18s’ FA Youth Cup tie. The Youth Cup has specific age restrictions to exclude under-15s.
That exclusion opened up another opportunity, with Dowman making his first u21 appearance for Arsenal as a substitute against Brighton and Hove Albion on Sunday.
In summary, this is a 14-year-old playing regular u18 football, making his debut for the u21s, and with a real chance of featuring on a first-team bench for Arsenal this season. The Gunners could hardly do any more to show him they’re taking his development seriously.
Dowman has three goals and two assists in his seven appearances for the Arsenal u18s this season, as well as a goal in one of his four UEFA Youth League games with the u19s.
Unfortunately, he picked up his third yellow card of the league phase in the Sporting CP match, and he’ll be suspended for the final game against Monaco.
Internationally, Dowman currently represents the England u17s, for whom he’s scored three in eight games.
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