Max Dowman has chance to make Arsenal’s right wing his own with England stars away after rigorous fitness regime

MAX DOWMAN has patiently been waiting in the wings for a chance to shine. And the absence of Bukayo Saka and Noni Madueke for the start of Arsenal‘s pre-season is giving him the perfect opportunity to do so. Max Dowman scored for Arsenal in their 4-1 win over Girona last weekend Credit: Getty Dowman broke into the Arsenal first-team squad last season and impressed Credit: Getty The England wingers are on holiday after their World Cup exploits – opening the door for 16-year-old academy sensation Dowman. And on the evidence of last Saturday’s 4-1 pre-season win over Girona, he does not need a second invitation. Sign up for the Arsenal newsletter Thank you! Starting out on the right wing, Dowman caught the eye with a goal and an assist. Boss Mikel Arteta was delighted with his all-round game and he looks set to keep his place on Wednesday night when the Gunners face Real Betis in Dublin. Dowman should then get another chance to shine in Sunday’s Emirates Cup clash with Borussia Dortmund. But he may already be looking ahead to the Community Shield against Manchester City a week on Sunday and a Prem opener at home to Coventry five days later. Madueke and Saka are not due back in training until next week, so Dowman has a chance to make the right flank his own. That brings with it a certain pressure – but Arteta is confident the teen star can handle that spotlight. Most read in Sport BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS The Emirates chief said: “That’s what we want when you play for Arsenal. The expectations should be high and we should expect really good things. We know what he’s capable of doing. “We now want him to be more consistent in terms of performance and the actions he can deliver.” It is no coincidence Dowman looks ready to seize his pre-season chance as it is understood he worked on his fitness over the summer break. Given he does not turn 17 until December, Dowman has not finished growing and Arsenal continue to carefully map out his training. The winger trained with the first team when he was 14 but continued to play for the club’s youth sides. Dowman alternated between the Under-18s and Under-21s, and that careful development continued last season as he was integrated into the first-team squad. He played 153 minutes in the Prem and became the competition’s youngest scorer in March with his goal against Everton at 16 years and 73 days. The sample size is small, yet the attacker showed in his cameos just why he is regarded as a top talent. Dowman was the most creative player per 90 minutes Credit: Arsenal FC via Getty Images Per 90 minutes in the top flight last season, no Arsenal player created more chances from open play than Dowman. The Gunners must be careful as they increase the teenager’s minutes but, mentally, he has coped incredibly well with such a rapid rise. He has taken everything in his stride and continued to show the character traits from his time in the academy. Arsenal U18s boss Adam Birchall had Dowman captain the side during the 2024-25 season – despite him playing three age groups up. He, naturally, stood out and netted 15 goals in as many league games but his humility was noticeable, too. After scoring a hat-trick in a 5-3 win over Leicester, Birchall recalls Dowman came into the dressing room and spoke about where the team – himself included – needed to improve. He showed similar maturity when being targeted by defenders, who repeatedly tried to hack him down. In one Uefa Youth League game two years ago, Sporting pinpointed Dowman and Arsenal U19s boss Max Porter made a point of raising it to match officials after the game. The youngster, to his credit, stayed cool and there may be more rough treatment to come as Dowman’s star continues to rise. But if there is one player he can turn to for advice, then it is Saka. The winger was routinely roughed up at the start of his career and has been happy to mentor Dowman whenever he wants advice. The same goes for skipper Martin Odegaard, who knows better than anyone what life as a teen star is like after joining Real Madrid at 16. Declan Rice is another player that has been a big support to Dowman – publicly championing his talent and acting like a big brother. Marli Salmon, 16, is closest to Dowman in the squad and another teenager tipped for great things. Now, Arteta must manage the hype around Dowman, who has already appeared in an adidas advert with Gunners legend Ian Wright. His sponsorship work beyond that, though, has been minimal and it underlines a desire to focus on performances on the pitch. Adidas – like Arsenal – clearly see the teenager as a future star and his advert earlier this year came with the tagline…chaos or control? Given what we have seen so far, Dowman can certainly bring chaos to a Gunners attack that has been built to control. Comment now