'I saw Max Dowman play vs Girona and I was reminded of Man United legend' - ex-scout

Arsenal wonderkid Max Dowman is a talent of the same echelon as Duncan Edwards for Manchester United.

That is the opinion of experienced former senior Tottenham, Everton and Aston Villa scout, Bryan King, speaking exclusively to Football Insider.

The 16-year-old is already a regular for the Premier League champions despite his age, and scored and assisted as they beat Girona 4-1 in their opening pre-season friendly on Saturday.

Last season, Dowman became the youngest Premier League goal scorer of all time and made 13 appearances for Mikel Arteta's title-winning side - he is expected to feature even more in the coming year.

Capable of playing on the right of the attack, the England youth international's future is viewed in the midfield.

He could well be the future replacement for both Martin Odegaard and Eberechi Eze, who will be in their 30s by the time Dowman is even 20.

Max Dowman is a Duncan Edwards-level talent

Edwards' story is very much one of what could have been, had he not tragically passed away in the 1958 Munich air disaster.

The talent had signed for Man United six years earlier, and was given his debut by Matt Busby as a 16-year-old.

The legendary manager described the teenager as the "greatest player of his age" he had ever seen.

Edwards would rarely leave the Man United team again, and soon enough the England team, becoming the nation's youngest debutant of the 20th century until 1998.

At the time of his death, the midfielder was a two-time English league champion and had finished third in the 1957 Ballon d'Or.

Speaking about Dowman, King said: "I watched the goal at the weekend. I mean, Jesus Christ, he's only 17. I mean, his finishing was absolute quality.

"In a perspective of young players coming in, you look at Duncan Edwards. Now, there's a name that you probably will have heard of through the history of football. But he was 15, 16 when he was playing for Man United.

"Looking at him, when you see the way he was built as a 16-year-old, he looked as though he was 24, 25. You know, the strength, the power in his legs and his body and the way he played. And this kid is not physically built like Duncan Edwards. 

"But this kid, I mean, in the last six months, I was surprised when I saw him because he looked as though he's grown, he's filled out. I mean, Christ, the goal he scored here at the weekend."

Dowman's dominant display vs Girona

Dowman started on the right of the attack against Girona and played a key part in the opener.

Picking up the ball on the turn, the 16-year-old dribbled away from his man and played a perfect ball through to Kai Havertz, who made no mistake.

And in the second half, the winger took the shot on himself, receiving the ball and unleashing a powerful effort into the bottom corner from just outside the box.

While Dowman's minutes will be managed this season, performances like Sunday's will leave Arteta with no choice but to play him.