Max Dowman stood laughing as Declan Rice bounced the ball off his backside during an open training session on Arsenal’s pre-season tour of Hong Kong in the summer.
The 15-year-old then tried to mimic the fun piece of skill before manager Mikel Arteta punched the ball away to stop Dowman completing the movement during a light-hearted moment.
It was a reminder that behind the enormous talent he has shown during his outings for the Arsenal first team in pre-season – and now on his Premier League debut – that Dowman was a year 10 student until last month.
That training session took place just a day before he replaced Gunners talisman Bukayo Saka against Tottenham Hotspur in the Kai Tak Stadium. The teenager came on and looked like Arsenal’s brightest attacking spark.
Dowman’s introductions as a substitute were some of the highlights of Arsenal’s pre-season, dazzling with his runs down the right-hand side and winning two penalties against Newcastle United and Villarreal.
At 15 years and 234 days old, he has now become the second-youngest player to play for the club, only behind his team-mate Ethan Nwaneri, who made his debut at 15 years 181 days in September 2022 against Brentford.
The winger came off the bench in the 64th minute and excited the home crowd with a weaving run that was only ended when he was brought down by Leeds left-back Gabriel Gudmundsson, who was booked.
Then in added time, Dowman again showed quick feet before being dropped by Anton Stach in the penalty area, with Viktor Gyokeres slamming home the spot-kick to complete a 5-0 rout.
“This is what we see every single day in training,” Arsenal boss Arteta said when asked by BBC Sport about the Dowman’s impact.
“We gathered the information about how he handles certain situations, in terms of training, being in the squad and not being selected afterwards in Manchester [against United], coming on the bench and feeling ready.
“Again, big compliments to his family. I think they raised a kid with a level of maturity, stability and hunger that is very difficult to see.
“And to the academy – Per [Mertesacker] and all the coaches and everybody that has been involved in that journey.
“Because there is a kid here that has zero hesitation and is so convinced that at 15 he can go and deliver, which I have never witnessed in my life.
“For us he brings joy, he brings emotion and something else that makes our jobs so great.”
The talent of Dowman is no shock to anyone who has been around Arsenal. He has been training with the first-team squad since he was 14.
He was taken on the team’s warm weather training camp to Dubai in January and there were calls from supporters for him to be used during the last campaign when Arteta’s squad was decimated by injuries.
Dowman played for England at the European Under-17 Championship in May, and became the competition’s youngest scorer when he netted in a win over the Czech Republic.
He featured three years above his age group when playing for the Under-18s at Arsenal. Last season he scored 19 goals and provided five assists in 23 games, with 17 of those goal involvements coming in the last seven matches of the Under-18 Premier League South season (14 goals, three assists).
Age restrictions stopped him from making his Premier League debut last season but now he is eligible and with a potential hamstring injury to Saka, the young winger could be about to be thrust into the spotlight more often.
Dowman replaced Saka in four of the pre-season matches before being given time off to rest against Athletic Bilbao, but the winger looks full of energy in what could be his breakthrough season.
Arteta also said that he needs to “protect” Dowman on his journey but that has not stopped his team-mates heaping praise on him.
“I think everyone can see the potential he has. Playing against grown men. He is a joy to watch, for the crowd too he is a joy to watch. Hopefully, he will have many amazing years here.” Jurrien Timber said after the match.
And with injuries for Arsenal trio Kai Havertz, Martin Odegaard and Saka, there may be more Premier League opportunities heading Dowman’s way.
