Arsenal have been understandably cautious around the topic of Max Dowman.
In the early months of last season, the Gunners tried to keep a low profile around a precocious talent already being courted by several Premier League rivals at the age of 14, as Daily Mail Sport revealed in December 2024.
He’s a child, and the north London club have a duty of care to such a young player – albeit a ridiculously talented one.
His displays on the Gunners’ pre-season tour of Asia last summer courted further attention – his mazy run which led to a penalty against Newcastle went viral.
Yet, now, his fortunes have changed forever. John Terry became the latest to compare Dowman to a young Lionel Messi, after Mikel Arteta had done so in January.
The boy wonder is no longer a name for the future – he is part of Arsenal’s plan for now.
Arsenal have been understandably cautious around the topic of their young star Max Dowman
The 16-year-old has been called a generational talent and scored against Everton on Saturday
It was only a matter of time, really, given the club have viewed the youngster as a generational talent for a while – and Dowman was firmly in Arteta’s midfield plans from the start of the campaign.
He suffered an ankle injury in a behind-closed doors friendly against Manchester United in December, which delayed the inevitable unleashing of a super talent.
The way sat Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall on the seat of his pants with a swift pivot to the opposite direction before scoring against Everton on Saturday encapsulated what the teenager has been doing all his life. Embarrassing those much older than himself is nothing new.
Aged four, the Brentwood-born star was spotted by scout John Knight and taken into Arsenal’s pre-academy set-up.
At Billericay Town Colts, aged seven he was playing with the Under 9s. Skipping age groups has been a theme since he first wore a pair of football boots. By 10, he was training one-on-one with the Billericay Under 23 coaches. From there, his rise has been unprecedented.
At 13, he became the youngest player to represent Arsenal’s Under 18s, achieving the same feat with the Under 21s aged 14, while also playing for England’s Under 17s and training with Arsenal’s first team.
Dowman is said to be mature for his age, which is understood to have further convinced Arteta of his readiness to initially join the first team.
His physical stature has also been a plus. He is, as expected, continuing to grow and last season had already reached 6ft – having been measured at 5ft 7in in the 2023-24 campaign, during which he turned 14.
This allows him to overwhelm opponents years older than him, paired with rapid acceleration from a standing point and tight ball control to slalom his way past multiple players in one sequence.
As seen by the youngster’s 28 touches of the ball in the 23-minute cameo against Everton, his team-mates see him as their equal and are not concerned about giving him responsibility.
Dowman has broken numerous records in the Gunners’ youth system for numerous years now
The youngster’s move allowed him to break free from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall against Everton
With his tender age in mind, the north London club were wary of giving him too much exposure. Yet, once he turned 15 on New Year’s Eve of 2024, Arsenal quickly moved from shielding the teenager to showcasing him as a future star — even posting him on their official X account, which boasts over 21 million followers.
Just last month, Dowman starred in an adidas commercial alongside Arsenal great Ian Wright. That is not normal for someone so young.
A crucial juncture was his surprise inclusion on the team’s February 2025 mid-season break in Dubai. It’s understood that he surprised first-teamers with his ability in those sessions, and from there has not looked back.
It does help that his background is entrenched in football. His father Robert, who previously coached youth teams at Billericay, was co-owner of the Isthmian League club from November 2019 to February 2023.
He and businessmen Greg Lake, David McCartney, Alex Morrissey and Nick Hutt formed a consortium after millionaire former owner Glenn Tamplin had walked away. At the time, ex-Spurs midfielder Jamie O’Hara was player-manager.
Dowman’s sheer talent was always there, supported by a family who have maximised his opportunities from the start.
He went to a Football Escapes camp – a family holiday programme combined with football coaching by ex-Premier League stars such as Mark Noble and Michael Dawson – in Portugal aged nine, for example.
Dowman did a rare interview with the company in August 2024, where he said on training with the first team: ‘The first time we were just defending, and I felt like a moving mannequin. I wasn’t really involving myself that well because I was just defending.
‘But the second time it was attack v defence. I got myself more involved and I did better than the first time.
‘It was really enjoyable. It was really surreal for me to be honest.’
Dowman has been showcased on social media by the club as their future star in recent months
On which players he felt starstruck around, he namechecked Declan Rice and William Saliba.
Rice in particular has taken the player under his wing, mentoring him off the pitch and supporting him in the same way Mark Noble helped Rice when he was rising through the ranks at West Ham.
Dowman’s heroics against Everton could well be one of the defining moments for Arsenal’s title charge.
He has already signed a pre-contract agreement with the club, which kicks in when he turns 17 in nine months’ time. Only then will be officially turn professional.
For now, Arsenal will tread carefully with a talent so young – but if Max Dowman’s continues on this path, the Gunners may already have found the player who shapes their future for years to come.
