Max Dowman is the next big thing in Arteta's plans

Manos Staramopoulos • 11 de marzo de 2026

Max Dowman was Arsenal's star player in their FA Cup victory over Mansfield. He's Arsenal's crown jewel.

The 16-year-old midfielder played in the FA Cup match against Mansfield and Eberechi Eze was left... speechless. Arsenal faced Mansfield in the 5th round of the FA Cup and the "gunners" won away from home with 2-1, ensuring qualification to the next phase of the competition.

 

However, the news from this particular match was not of course the qualification of the Londoners (something that was considered almost certain) but the presence of two 16-year-olds in the starting lineup of Mikel Arteta's team.

 

The reason for Max Dowman and Marley Salmon, whom the "gunners" coach trusted and gave them the opportunity to be in the starting lineup of the capital.

 

It should be noted that this was the first time since 1967 (ed. in a game of any competition), that two 16-years-old have been in the starting eleven of a top-flight team.


Arteta did not focus on the young age of the two footballers but on their talent and dared to put them together in the London team's eleven.

 

Especially in what has to do with Max Dowman, everyone speaks highly of the 16-year-old midfielder of the Londoners and what the international Eberechi Eze supported, reveals a lot about the potential that the young attacking midfielder of Arsenal has.

 

"Max is a rare talent and when you see what he does on the pitch you can recognize the great potential he has in his game. He is a very different player and you don't come across that easily.

We are all trying to help him and we are doing everything we can to get things that will make him mature faster in his way of playing.”


Declan Rice

 

Declan Rice was also very positive, stating that Dowman has all the qualities to have a great career.

 

“I see him every day in training and I remember being in the West Ham dressing room at his age. I didn’t talk to anyone and I would sit in a corner without saying a word. But Max, you can see that he has a lot of self-confidence and that is an element that makes him stand out at this age.”

 

And as for the “Gunners” coach? Mikel Arteta has been seeing the young ace’s development potential for two years and that is why Dowman has been training with the Arsenal first team since he was 14.

 

The Spanish coach of the “Gunners” believes that the 16-year-old midfielder is able to help the London team a lot and for this reason he is giving him opportunities from this season, having of course his eyes on the future. And there is no doubt that Douman’s future is predicted to be bright.

 

It is characteristic that last August he had praised not only the competitive potential that the young ace has, but also Max’s family, for the way in which they have raised the young midfielder.

 

The Spanish coach of the “Gunners” gives opportunities to young children and the London midfielder is considered by many to be the new big star of the capital.

 

The 42-year-old coach of the Gunners had been following the development of the young ace for the last year and decided to give him a chance. And the kid made sure to justify him with his performance in the match against Leeds.

 

His family

 

Arteta has presented English football with a great talent and the statements made by the Spanish coach, about 15-year-old Max and the player's family, reveal a lot.

 

"What the world saw today, we see every day in training and here we have to say some important things. I want to say bravo to Max's family, for the way they have raised their son. I see a young child who has great seriousness, great maturity in his way of thinking and that is something very important".

 

"I also see a young child who has a great will to achieve things and these are important elements to live what he dreams of. I must also congratulate the club's academy for the fantastic work they have done with Max, but also with many other children who are in the infrastructure departments".

 


The role of the German, Per Mertesacker

 

Per Mertesacker has offered a lot with his knowledge and experience. "For us it is a great pleasure to see a young kid enjoying the game and we enjoy his presence in every training session of the first team", the coach of the London team emphasized.

 

It should be noted here that the young ace has been training with the Arsenal first team for a year (i.e. since he was 14 years old) and Arteta decided that this was the right time to throw him into the… deep.

 

What should be noted is that young Max is lucky… a mountain, as Arteta is a coach who trusts young players and gives them the opportunity to develop their talent.

 

And in the case of Dowman, this seems to be abundant.


Manos Staramopoulos

Journalist and Analyst of International Football and Affairs

Chief Editor English Zone of Discoveryfootball.com

Athens (Greece)

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