Evening Standard
·6 August 2025
Arsenal: Mikel Arteta reveals plan for Max Dowman as 15-year-old dazzles again in pre-season

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·6 August 2025
The youngster has impressed throughout the summer and won a penalty against Villarreal on Wednesday
Starboy: Max Dowman
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Mikel Arteta has revealed he is planning to give teenage star Max Dowman a break after he shone during pre-season.
Dowman has impressed in Arsenal’s friendlies this summer, despite being just 15 years old.
The winger caught the eye again on Wednesday evening, coming off the bench and winning a penalty as Arsenal lost 3-2 to Villarreal in a friendly.
Dowman looks like he could make his first-team debut this season after performing well this summer, but Arteta has explained he will have a break first.
“Let’s see how it goes,” said Arteta, when asked about Dowman getting minutes in the Premier League this season.
“Let’s go into Saturday, into the break as well. He needs a little break as well, because he hasn’t had any holidays, really.
“So, in the next few days, he’s going to have a break, which I think he needs. And then, following the week, he’ll be ready again to go.
“He continues to impress, without a doubt. The impact he had in the game again today, the efficiency that he shows in every attacking action, it’s incredible. Again, he deserves to have chances, and if he continues like this, let’s see what happens.
Arteta went on, adding that Dowman’s team-mates already look to him as a game-changer.
“I think the reaction [of his team-mates] is very clear. They have the ball and they give it to him!
“So, that tells you how much they trust him and I think the relationship he’s building within the team. So, I think nothing better than that.
“The confidence they show to make things happen, and the constant connection that they have with him.
“With Max it’s been so fast. Even last year when he was training with us, he was doing this kind of thing in training and now he’s doing it in the game consistently.
“So the three or four games that he’s played, he’s managed to impact and have big moments in the game. Great.”