Mikel Arteta has little concern about Real Madrid or any other rival club poaching 15-year-old prodigy Max Dowman, despite the young talent not being locked into a senior contract with Arsenal.
In England, players are only able to sign a professional terms once they turn 17, and clubs remain vulnerable to losing academy talents in younger age groups. Real Madrid are believed to have sent scouts to watch Dowman and were seriously impressed.
But Dowman is a lifelong Arsenal fan from a family full of supporters and appears committed to staying with the Gunners, even with potentially more lucrative opportunities elsewhere. It was recently reported that he is in discussions with the club about his scholar status, with negotiations over a first professional contract that can be formally pre-signed from when he turns 16.
Arteta has now backed up the notion that Dowman, who made his first-team debut in August to become the club’s second youngest ever player behind Ethan Nwaneri, will commit long-term.
“I don’t think about [losing Dowman] because everything that I hear from the player and the family has been very positive,” Arteta told reporters. “[Staying long-term] is we all want and I think what he wants as well. After that it is more for [sporting director] Andrea [Berta] and the club.
“But the feeling that I have is that genuinely he loves it here. He is a huge Arsenal supporter and his family are really happy with the way things are developing around him as well. Hopefully for many years he will be with us.”
Arteta: Age No Reason Not to Play Dowman
Arteta showed with his use of Nwaneri, who debuted in 2022, that he is willing to give very young players an opportunity at senior level if he believes they are good enough. It has been a similar story with Dowman, for whom age alone is not a sufficient reason to hold him back.
“If we looked at his passport every day we would never play him, simple as that,” Arteta explained. “So it is finding a balance, an understanding, especially the load, the things that are changing in his life, and making sure he can cope with that. So far, he has done that.”
Dowman has made three first-team appearances totalling 54 minutes for Arsenal so far this season and chances could keep coming because of more senior players being injured.
“In the front line, that is where we have more difficulties,” Arteta conceded ahead of facing Brighton & Hove Albion in the Carabao Cup this week. “Gabby Jesus out, Kai [Havertz] out, [Gabriel] Martinelli and [Noni] Madueke out. We have to be more careful as we don’t have many options.
“[Dowman] will play minutes with us, for sure, and when he has the chance he needs to take it.”
READ THE LATEST ARSENAL NEWS, TRANSFER RUMOURS AND MORE
This article was originally published on www.si.com as ‘The Feeling’—Mikel Arteta Predicts Future of Real Madrid-Linked Arsenal Star.
