Jack Wilshere has offered a striking reminder of how highly Max Dowman has been rated inside Arsenal, saying the teenager was good enough for his under-18s team when he was only 13.
Wilshere, who came through the Arsenal academy himself, said Dowman was already operating at a level far beyond his age when he first saw him up close. He also recalled his father’s reaction, saying the verdict was blunt: Dowman was better than him.
Early belief in Dowman
The former Arsenal midfielder said Dowman played for his 18s team when he was 13, which helps explain why he has become one of the club’s most closely watched young players. The comments add another layer to the conversation around Dowman, who has already set age-related benchmarks at Arsenal and in the Premier League.
That reputation has only grown this season. Dowman scored twice in Arsenal’s Carabao Cup win against Ipswich Town, adding to the impression that he is no longer simply a promising academy name, but a player who is starting to deliver at senior level.
Last term, Dowman made 13 first-team appearances and scored once, a strong return for a player still early in his development. Arsenal are also said to be open to a loan move for him, which would raise the next important question: whether a temporary move would help him keep progressing or interrupt a pathway that is already moving quickly.
Arteta’s influence on Wilshere
Wilshere also spoke about how Mikel Arteta influenced his move into coaching. He said he got to see Arteta up close, watch how he coached and understand the impact he was having on players around him.
Wilshere explained that he would ask questions about why Arteta did certain things and that he began to fall in love with the process, especially the way training sessions were prepared. He said he was influenced by Arteta, but also had to learn how to teach, plan a session and communicate the desired outcomes.
That combination of early talent and strong coaching context is part of what makes Dowman such an interesting case at Arsenal. He has already done enough to attract serious attention, and with the club weighing what comes next, Wilshere’s comments only reinforce how unusual Dowman’s rise has been.
