‘Max Dowman tipped to emulate Lamine Yamal after stunning Arsenal debut’
Arsenal wonderkid Max Dowman has been tipped to emulate Lamine Yamal after clocking his first senior minutes for the club.
Just 15 years old, Dowman came off the bench for the final 24 minutes of the Gunners’ friendly win over AC Milan at Singapore’s National Stadium on Thursday.
Dowman replaced Bukayo Saka, who scored the game’s only goal shortly after half-time, and dispatched a penalty in a post-match shootout — which Milan won 6-5.
| Arsenal U18 stats | Max Dowman |
| Appearances | 25 |
| Goals | 20 |
| Assists | 10 |
The attacking midfielder boasts an incredible record for Arsenal at youth level, registering 30 direct goal involvements in 25 appearances for the club’s U18 side.
Simon Jordan heaps praise on Max Dowman
Dowman took to social media after the match to express his pride in making his Arsenal debut — catching the attention of teammates Declan Rice and Saka, among others.
But it’s not just those around the Emirates taking note of the youngster’s talents.
Former Crystal Palace chief Simon Jordan is also tipping Dowman to go on to great things — even emulating Lamine Yamal who, at just 18 years old, is already a key player for Barcelona and the Spanish national team.
“He looks like a very special talent,” Jordan told talkSPORT (24 July). “I saw him just over a year ago, and I remember speaking to Danny Murphy about him, he was already plugged into him.
“This is a very talented young man, that has the potential to be as good as anything that’s out there. I hate to throw these superlatives around because it makes unnecessary headlines for people…
“If he continues on his journey, continues to be focused and develop, he is in the talent bracket of people like Lamine Yamal. That’s the level he’s at.
“This kid is a special, special talent. They’ll talk about the levels that he’s played at with the U17s, how many goals he’s scored for the England U17s.
“But this is a special talent, the kind of player that takes on players, beats them and does it for fun, and produces an end product. He’s a very, very gifted player and quite frankly, this is the kind of talent that should be being produced inside the elite academies.
“Rather than hoovering them up for everyone else, they should be producing them themselves.
“But the fact that Arsenal are producing young players, coming through, getting first-team opportunities and the old adage, ‘If you’re good enough, you’re old enough’, plays a part.
“We’re seeing these young players get opportunities, we saw Jude Bellingham’s ascension, we’re seeing his brother [Jobe] ascend, we’re seeing other young players.
“[Phil] Foden came through quickly [at Manchester City] and decided not to run away and get an opportunity in another country, wait for his opportunity and play for the best manager in the world, Pep Guardiola.
“But if this boy, Dowman, continues the progress that he’s got, he is a superstar.
“And I get the impression he’s got the balance and the outlook, and the backing behind him in terms of the structure of his life, that will give him that opportunity.”
“Rather than hoovering them up for everyone else, they should be producing them themselves.
“But the fact that Arsenal are producing young players, coming through, getting first-team opportunities and the old adage, ‘If you’re good enough, you’re old enough’, plays a part.
“We’re seeing these young players get opportunities, we saw Jude Bellingham’s ascension, we’re seeing his brother [Jobe] ascend, we’re seeing other young players.
“[Phil] Foden came through quickly [at Manchester City] and decided not to run away and get an opportunity in another country, wait for his opportunity and play for the best manager in the world, Pep Guardiola.
“But if this boy, Dowman, continues the progress that he’s got, he is a superstar.
“And I get the impression he’s got the balance and the outlook, and the backing behind him in terms of the structure of his life, that will give him that opportunity.”
Dowman tipped to become elite
Jordan’s generous praise of Dowman comes right off the back of fellow talkSPORT host Perry Groves backing the wonderkid to become an ‘elite’ player.
Groves — who won two league titles and a League Cup with Arsenal between 1987 and 1992 — believes only a change in ‘attitude’ or a freak injury can stop the latest Hale End product making it to the top.
“The only thing that stops Max Dowman from getting to what I would say the elite level and in Arsenal’s first team, it’d be one of two things,” said Groves (20 July).
“Either he gets a bad injury, or it will be his attitude because he has everything.
“I know I hadn’t seen a player that good at 15, and obviously going away with the first team, he’ll be integrated there, then he’ll come out, he’ll play for the under-21s, then he’ll come out, then you can bet your life in the Carabao Cup.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if he develops on the path that they think he’s going to do, that he’ll be on the bench for Arsenal in the next probably three or four months.”
Dowman will get another chance to showcase his talents when Arsenal take on Newcastle United this Sunday.