Declan Rice says it is “insane” how Max Dowman has made the step up to the Arsenal first team.
Dowman, who is only 15, began training with the first team a year ago and has already made three appearances.
The midfielder could make history on Wednesday night if he plays against Olympiacos in the Champions League as he would become the youngest player in the competition’s history.
Rice has played a key role helping young players at Arsenal, including Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly when they made their breakthroughs last season.
And the England star has been blown away by how well Dowman has risen to the challenge of being around the first team.
“Ethan and Myles - the difference from last year to this year, how they’ve grown as people, is incredible,” Rice told TNT Sports.
“They’ll speak to anyone now, they’re loud, they’re themselves and that’s what you want. You want people to feel comfortable.
“Obviously, Max is only 15, just going to be turning 16 in December. I’ve never seen a 15-year-old so comfortable around the first team, it’s insane. They actually are just kids.
“I said to Max on the way back from pre-season tour, I couldn’t get my head around it that he was going back to school.
“He FaceTimed the other day and he had his school uniform on, and I was like: ‘Mate, you’ve just played in the Premier League a week ago, and now you’re walking back through the school gates’.
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“Even me as a 15-year-old, going into West Ham’s first team dressing room, I would no way have been as confident as he was.
“I would’ve been quiet in the corner. Unless someone spoke to me, I wouldn’t have spoken to them, whereas I feel like now, Max especially, he’s just so confident in himself and his ability.
“The support network here is incredible and I’ve seen the academy - the way they work, it’s insane.”
