Arsenal wonderkid Max Dowman set for shock England promotion, as Three Lions accelerate pathway
Arsenal's Max Dowman has impressed England enough to skip a whole load of youth groups
Arsenal wonderkid Max Dowman is set for a major England promotion.
Dowman, 15, is enjoying a breakout campaign in North London, becoming the second-youngest Premier League player ever – behind Arsenal team-mate Ethan Nwaneri – and breaking the age record for the Champions League.
Sure enough, England are also interested in fast-tracking the teenager, described as a “foul magnet”, and already making waves in senior football.
England will give Arsenal teen Max Dowman 'his chance' within the England under-21s
Dowman is still playing sporadically for Arsenal's under-21 teams but has more often been included in Mikel Arteta's senior squads this term.
Now, England under-21 head coach, Lee Carsley, has spoken about Dowman's talent and suggested that he could be in line for a call-up to his side.
“He's a player that we're monitoring,” Carsley said, as relayed by the Mirror. “Sometimes that talent, we have to accelerate it so quickly because of the challenge they are getting at their clubs.
“It's important that we keep in mind how young Max is and we are fully aware of him. We get all of the feedback from the camps that he plays on and there is definitely time. He'll definitely get his chance within the Under-21s.”
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No 15-year-old has ever played for England, with Theo Walcott still the Three Lions' youngest-ever debutant at 17 years and 75 days – and speaking to FourFourTwo recently, the former Arsenal man remarked on the similarities and differences between him and Dowman.
“I look at it really differently as well, because when I came to the club, I couldn't relate to any of the players because of my age gap,” Walcott said, speaking on behalf of Amazon Prime Video. “And I look at Max [Dowman] coming through, and you see Ethan [Nwaneri], a couple years older, and maybe not even that, Myles [Lewis-Skelly] again, [can] all relate, probably doing the same things together away from the game.
"I think it's important to just to bring them back down to earth at times, and not to give them everything too soon. I'm not saying I had it too soon.
“However, it was very different for me coming through and that patient side of it, keeping the guys away from the media at times, protecting them.“However, it was very different for me coming through and that patient side of it, keeping the guys away from the media at times, protecting them.”
Arsenal take on Tottenham Hotspur after the international break when Premier League action resumes.

Mark White has been at on FourFourTwo since joining in January 2020, first as a staff writer before becoming content editor in 2023. An encyclopedia of football shirts and boots knowledge – both past and present – Mark has also represented FFT at both FA Cup and League Cup finals (though didn't receive a winners' medal on either occasion) and has written pieces for the mag ranging on subjects from Bobby Robson's season at Barcelona to Robinho's career. He has written cover features for the mag on Mikel Arteta and Martin Odegaard, and is assisted by his cat, Rosie, who has interned for the brand since lockdown.
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