Who is Max Dowman? The record-breaking Arsenal teenager

Cameron Smith

• Updated: 6 Dec 2024 14:38 GMT
• 4 min read

Max Dowman is still only 14 years old, but he has already been tipped to become an Arsenal and England superstar in the future.

The teenager is the latest Hale End wonderkid to make waves in the Arsenal academy and he has already been spotted training with Mikel Arteta’s first-team.

But, who is Dowman and why is he rated so highly?

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What position does Max Dowman play?

Dowman is a central midfielder, who typically plays in an attacking role, while he can feature as a winger.

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How good is Max Dowman?

Dowman could become the youngest ever player in Premier League history, with Mikel Arteta reportedly “open” to the idea of including the teenager in a senior matchday squad before the end of the 2024-25 campaign.

It wouldn’t come as a huge shock either as the England youngster has made a habit of breaking records, and he is set to continue on this path for the next few years.

In September 2023, Dowman made his U18 debut for Arsenal at the age of just 13, becoming the youngest player to ever feature in a U18 Premier League fixture.

After the match, Jack Wilshere, who was in charge at the time, told reporters: “Debut opportunities aren't handed out lightly, and Max has demonstrated over the past few months that he deserves this chance. There are others on the verge of stepping up as well.

“He handled the moment admirably, sending an important message to the team that when we introduce players, they possess the quality to contribute effectively.”

Dowman continued to catch the eye throughout the 2023-24 campaign and he has now trained with the first-team on several occasions, despite being just 14 years old.

This season, Dowman has become Arsenal’s youngest appearance-maker in the UEFA Youth League, while he also set a new record for the youngest goalscorer in the history of the competition when he found the back of the net against Atalanta at just 14 years, 8 months, and 19 days old.

Less than three months later, Dowman broke Ethan Nwaneri’s record to become the youngest player in Arsenal’s history to play in the Premier League 2.

A silky midfield player, Dowman is already an England U17 regular and he scored on his debut for the side versus Mexico in September 2024.

Rio Ferdinand has compared the teenager to Arsenal club captain Martin Odegaard, while a current Gunners youth coach has admitted that Dowman plays in a similar fashion to Brazil legend Kaka.

He scored two goals and provided five assists in seven appearances in the U18 Premier League during the 2023-24 campaign and Dowman’s trajectory is expected to skyrocket over the next few years.

What clubs are interested in Max Dowman?

Dowman is being monitored by a host of top clubs and multiple Premier League academies have registered their interest in the Arsenal man, as per The Daily Mail.

The Gunners are determined to show Dowman a clear first-team pathway to ward off interest from suitors, however they could be powerless to prevent an exit due to his current contract situation.

How old is Max Dowman?

Dowman was born on 31 December 2009. He is 14 years old at the time of writing.

When does Max Dowman’s contract expire?

Dowman’s current agreement with Arsenal is unknown. Due to his age, he is unable to sign scholarship terms until the start of the 2026-27 season, while a professional contract will follow when he turns 17.

What is Max Dowman’s Instagram?

Dowman’s Instagram account is @max_dowman10. He has 43.5k followers as of December 2024.