Max Dowman Arsenal debut prediction made as Mikel Arteta sent clear instruction on 15-year-old wonderkid

Arsenal wonderkid Max Dowman will make his senior Gunners debut in the EFL Cup this season if he remains in Mikel Arteta's good books, club legend Ray Parlour has predicted.

The 15-year-old attacker was one of the shining lights of Arsenal's pre-season tour, proving especially too hot to handle in the Gunners' 3-2 success over Newcastle United in Singapore.

Dowman won Arsenal's game-defining penalty in that five-goal thriller, speeding away from Matt Targett and drawing a foul from Joelinton before Martin Odegaard converted the resulting spot kick.

The 2009-born phenom also impressed off the bench in the 1-0 win over AC Milan, and he is unsurprisingly being tipped to make his competitive debut for the three-time Premier League winners in the 2025-26 season.

Speaking exclusively to Sports Mole, Parlour has backed Dowman to appear in the EFL Cup later this year, although he stopped short of predicting a Premier League debut, saying: “I saw Max on tour with Arsenal in Singapore and had a good chat with him and his parents.

Parlour: 'Dowman will get his chance in EFL Cup for Arsenal'

"Another Arsenal talent through the Hale End academy; very mature, strong, very technical and great balance on the ball. These qualities are hard to find and he has them all.

"But Mikel has to be careful as he is still very young. Elevating him to the first team squad and on tour is the right thing to do for sure. For Max, he must keep working hard, learning from Mikel and the first team players and he will get his chance during next season.

"It may not come immediately, but if Max continues to impress, then he will get his chance in the EFL Cup to begin with and then let’s see what happens after that this season.”

Dowman was unable to make his competitive debut for Arsenal in the 2024-25 season, having been registered as an Under-15s player, but he was already training with Arteta's first team as he continued to shine at youth level.

The England Under-17 international scored a sensational 14 goals in his last seven Under-18 Premier League appearances last season, and he has been dubbed the 'next Kaka' by an Arsenal academy coach.

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An Arsenal Hale End talent will often make headlines for their feats as a teenager, but as Arteta said himself during the Gunners' pre-season tour of Asia, few have done what Dowman is doing at such a tender age.

The 15-year-old did not look one bit out of place in senior action, although his development will certainly be carefully managed, and he will not break Ethan Nwaneri's record for the youngest Arsenal player of all time.

Dowman is one of two Arsenal 15-year-olds who earned valuable first-team minutes on tour, as centre-back Marli Salmon - who turns 16 later this month - played against Milan and Newcastle too.

At the other end of the pitch, 17-year-old striker Andre Annous was introduced in the 3-2 win over the Magpies, while 18-year-old midfielder Louie Copley was on the bench for all three games.

Ray Parlour was speaking to Sports Mole on behalf of NetBet Online Casino.