Arsenal wonderkid Max Dowman, 15, is touted as ‘Next Kaka’ – but little-known rule means he can’t play in Premier League

ARSENAL are producing talented youngsters erstwhile again.

This season, teenagers Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri person gone from Hale End hopefuls to archetypal squad stars.

Max Dowman, 15, has been tipped to prima successful Arsenal’s archetypal teamGetty

Manager Mikel Arteta has introduced Dowman to archetypal squad grooming sessionsGetty

Getty

Arsenal’s trio of starlets Dowman, Ethan Nwaneri, and Myles Lewis-Skelly airs for a drawback successful Dubai[/caption]

And the aforesaid is expected of 15-year-old Max Dowman – who travelled with the archetypal squad for the Gunners’ wintertime grooming camp successful Dubai.

The attacking midfielder has been compared to AC Milan fable Kaka by his younker coach.

While helium was fast-tracked into Arsenal’s U18 squad astatine the tender property of conscionable 13 by erstwhile teen prodigy Jack Wilshere.

Even a staunch Manchester United pundit has waxed lyrical astir Dowman’s exceptional ability.

However, helium won’t beryllium capable to assistance Mikel Arteta’s injury-hit broadside retired for the remainder of the play owed to his age.

According to Premier League rules, nary subordinate beneath the under-16 property radical tin beryllium named successful a lucifer time squad.

Absolute baller

It’s aboriginal days successful Dowman’s development. So early, successful fact, helium doesn’t adjacent person a illustration connected Arsenal’s website.

But according to reports, helium is good known astatine different academies successful the state who person approached his begetter to fto him cognize of their interest.

For the moment, his aboriginal is being monitored closely.

Dowman can’t motion assistance presumption until helium turns 16, earlier the  2026-27 season.

Incredibly, helium lone turned 15 connected December 31. Already, though, helium turned heads successful matches successful the Uefa Youth League.

Arsenal’s U19 squad suffered a miserable run overall, finishing 26th successful the 36-team table.

But Dowman was the agleam spark, impressing successful games against Sporting Lisbon, Inter Milan and Atalanta.

An attacking midfielder, helium tin play connected the flanks, oregon arsenic a No10.

Arsenal younker squad manager Gus Oliveira compared him to a Brazilian great.

“He plays successful the benignant of Kaka,” Oliveira told PL Brasil past year.

“He tin constitute his name. One time helium volition play for the England nationalist team and successful the Premier League.”

Dowman can’t motion assistance presumption until he’s 16, oregon marque his Prem debutGetty

Getty

According to reports, Dowman is being tracked by rival Premier League clubs[/caption]

Getty

An attacking midfielder, Dowman tin run arsenic a No10[/caption]

Getty

Arsenal younker squad manager Gus Oliveira compared Dowman to Kaka past year[/caption]

Record breaker

Those comparisons to Kaka are evidently flattering.

But Dowman has been creating his ain awesome past – breaking records successful the Gunners younker team.

Last year, his extremity against Atalanta successful the Uefa Youth League made him the youngest goalscorer successful the competition’s past – past aged 14 years, 8 months, and 19 days.

When Jack Wilshere was coach of the U18s, helium wasn’t acrophobic to manus Dowman a debut astatine 13 – again, breaking different grounds for youngest debutant.

After the game, Wilshere said: “Debut opportunities aren’t handed retired lightly and Max has demonstrated implicit the past fewer months that helium deserves this chance.

“He handled the infinitesimal admirably, sending an important connection to the squad that, erstwhile we present players, they person the prime to lend effectively.”

Dowman has been called up connected England work for the U16s and U17s, scoring 3 goals successful 8 games for the latter.

Getty

Dowman and chap younker prima Ethan Nwaneri tussle for the shot successful training[/caption]

Getty

Dowman has breached records, including youngest ever Uefa Youth League scorer[/caption]

Red Devil praise

Dowman’s imaginable hasn’t gone unnoticed by sportswear giants, either.

Nike and Puma made aboriginal plays to motion him connected a lucrative footwear deal.

Eventually, helium chose Adidas to spouse up with.

And it’s not conscionable successful North London, wherever Dowman is being raved about.

Ex-Man Utd star Rio Ferdinand tipped the talent to travel successful the footsteps of Ethan Nwaneri by starring successful the Gunners’ archetypal team.

“This isn’t to adhd unit connected these young players due to the fact that I don’t privation to bash that, but I was conscionable a spot disappointed successful Arteta not giving Nwaneri a spot much of a chance,” Ferdinand said connected his YouTube transmission ‘Rio Ferdinand Presents’ backmost successful November.

“I saw him travel connected the different time against Inter, not lone looking dangerous, helium takes the ball, retains the ball, looks aft it, plays similar an adult. He plays that Odegaard position.

Dowman shows Euro 2024 victor Mikel Merino a cleanable acceptable of heels astatine Arsenal’s wintertime grooming campGetty

Behind the scenes, Arsenal are alert they person a gem successful DowmanGetty

“They’ve got different 1 nether him by the way, a kid telephone Max Dowman. Please spell online and cheque retired this kid.

“He was 14, I saw him coaching 18 and 19-year-olds connected the transportation erstwhile helium was playing with them. And helium plays a small spot successful that Odegaard presumption arsenic well, atrocious player.”