How Arsenal are nurturing Max Dowman with 16-year-old wonderkid being carefully managed and Declan Rice his mentor

MAX DOWMAN can’t help but create headlines and get people talking every time he takes to the pitch. The 16-year-old’s immense talent simply demands attention, and his electric double against Ipswich Town on Tuesday night was the perfect example of that. Max Dowman scored a double against Ipswich on Tuesday night Credit: Getty Mikel Arteta and Arsenal have been nurturing Dowman’s talent Credit: Getty Even Mikel Arteta admitted that discussing Dowman is “inevitable” when he plays that way, but the Arsenal boss is well aware of how important it is to protect someone so young. A matter of weeks ago Dowman was collecting his GCSE results, now he is trending on social media and the topic of conversation for football fans up and down the country once again. Sign up for the Arsenal newsletter Thank you! Arsenal have known the talent they have had on their hands for a long time and have done everything in their power to ensure that the youngster is kept out of the spotlight as much as possible. In a week where that spotlight has been burning bright on another young talent in JJ Gabriel, Arsenal’s handling of the situation seems even more poignant. Arteta reiterated the importance of keeping Dowman grounded after his brace at Portman Road, but even he admitted that it is hard to keep such a bright star out of the public eye. The Arsenal boss said: “Depending on what he does on the pitch, it is not easy, I understand. “But what we have to do is look after him – he’s 16 years old, you don’t see that in this league. In other leagues in Europe, that’s a totally different context. “But in this league, with the demands that the league, the players and everything puts on you, we really need to make sure every time we throw him in, he’s in the right context with the right preparation, and that’s what we are trying to do.” Most read in Sport BEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK Part of the care Arsenal have put in place for Dowman is necessary, like the fact the teenager has to change in a separate changing room from his team-mates because of his age. But other actions they have taken over the years of his development have been considered, and have allowed Dowman to thrive and grow into the player he is. Arsenal operate with dedicated security when they are travelling to and from fixtures and one member of that team has been assigned to stay close to Dowman. Even with the extra care, the club do what they can to make sure Dowman is still very much part of the first team when he is with the group – ensuring he is back in the changing room for team talks after players have changed. Arsenal also managed his education before he left school this summer, scheduling built-in studying sessions for him to ensure his football would not impact his results. Dowman has opted not to continue his school education beyond Year 11 after graduating in the summer, but will still work towards achieving a Btec Level 3 qualification while balancing his football commitments. Another example of Arsenal’s conservative approach to Dowman’s status is their approach to his media duties. While some clubs may have opted to put their wonderkid in front of camera when he steals the limelight, the Gunners chose to keep Dowman off camera following his record-breaking goal against Everton last season. Arsenal have also made a point of working Dowman into the team at the right times, thoughtfully choosing the best time to bed him into the squad. His first true integration into the squad came when he was taken on a warm-weather training camp to Dubai aged just 14. Dowman was integrated into the Arsenal team during a warm-weather training camp in Dubai Credit: Getty The teenager will sign his first professional contract on his 17th birthday this December Credit: Getty From then, it has been about choosing the right fixtures and the right time in Dowman’s development to include him in squads. That is still being monitored closely to this day, with Arteta speaking in midweek about carefully choosing when to play the teen. The Spaniard said: “We’re going to make sure that when we just throw him there, he’s ready to handle that at every level, and it’s not just that he can run past somebody. “There’s a lot more things that we need to look after him, but he will dictate that in terms of how he behaves every single day and how many reasons he gives to play because he’s part of our squad, like anybody else, no different. “The only thing that we have to manage is that he needs to constantly be aware that he needs to be prepared for what he needs to do.” For instance, Dowman was left out of the travelling squad that beat Sunderland 2-0 last weekend, instead returning to the Under-21s to play against Chelsea. Arteta and his team have also closely monitored Dowman’s reactions to situations like being on the bench or not being named in the squad at all. Arsenal have had interest in loaning Dowman out – including from Luton Town boss Jack Wilshere – but the club are confident that the best place for him to be is with the Champions. Dowman became the Premier League’s youngest goalscorer with his solo goal against Everton last season Credit: Getty Dowman’s talent has been evident to those around him throughout his development at Arsenal Credit: Getty Part of that is due to their vast squad depth and immense quality, which means Arteta has the luxury of picking and choosing when to use him. Another huge part of Arsenal being used as his breeding ground is the role models that Dowman has around him. He is close with Declan Rice, the pair regularly exchanging messages and even FaceTiming. Meanwhile Gunners captain Martin Odegaard is perhaps the most ideal skipper to help guide Dowman through the mania surrounding his potential. Odegaard went through a similar situation as a 16-year-old, signing for Real Madrid and having a huge reputation before he had truly started his career. Dowman also remains in touch with Wilshere, who coached him as U18s boss and also broke into the Arsenal first-team as a teenager. Dowman’s father, Robert, has helped keep the attacking midfielder grounded as well as helping to keep his son’s focus on Arsenal and not looking elsewhere. There will naturally be clamour for Dowman to get even more minutes after his efforts against Ipswich in midweek, but Arsenal will maintain their focus on managing his development properly. It would be entirely unsurprising if the youngster’s next start did not come until the next round of the Carabao Cup, when Arsenal travel to face Fleetwood in late October. And even his team-mates know how important it is to find the right balance between throwing him in at the deep end and protecting him. Declan Rice has acted as a mentor to Dowman Credit: Getty Martin Odegaard had a similar experience to Dowman, bursting on to the scene as a teenager Credit: Getty Mikel Merino said: “He is an unbelievable talent. We knew it, but every time he goes on the pitch and plays against grown men he makes the difference. “He is a big talent and we have to take care of him. We have to keep pushing him. He needs to keep learning – eyes and ears open always. “There is still big room for improvement in a lot of areas and he knows that. So we are going to be by his side trying to get him to his best level. “It is a thin line. It is very difficult to have equilibrium sometimes with him, because obviously you want him to shine and show everyone the talent that he has. “But you have to sometimes remind them that they are human beings and they are part of a bigger squad and team. “The good thing with these kinds of players – Lamine [Yamal] and Max – is that they are special talents, but at the same time they are very humble. They are always keen to learn and listen to the veterans. That is priceless.” Comment now