Max Dowman has been urged to depart Arsenal as soon as possible amid fears his profession will stagnate under the management of Mikel Arteta.
The precociously talented teenager became the youngest goalscorer in Premier League history earlier this month when stylishly wrapping up the leaders’ vital 2-0 win against Everton.
Dowman’s impact and potential led to suggestions that the World Cup could take priority over his GCSEs this summer.
Full international recognition could have to attend some time longer, even when he plays a major role within the run-in, a prospect that has been rendered likelier by the injury sustained by Noni Madueke on Friday evening.
Regardless, talkSPORT presenter Adrian Durham believes Dowman’s future can be best served by continuing his education elsewhere and highlighted the profession trajectories of Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewsi-Skelly as evidence.
Dowman’s fellow Hale End Academy graduates made similary eye-catching breakthroughs last term but one is currently on loan at Marseille, having been deemed surplus to requirements, while the opposite has been relegated to 3rd selection left-back and has lost his place within the senior England set-up.
‘Max Dowman needs to depart Arsenal as soon as possible,’ said the talkSPORT presenter.
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‘Dowman has seen Myles Lewis-Skelly’s profession derailed by MIkel Arteta. He’s not even third selection left-back now – [Piero] Hincapie and [Riccardo] Calafiori ahead of him in a Wembley final.
‘He was a midfielder within the youth team and got to a Youth Cup final in midfield.
‘Even with [Martin] Zubimendi looking like a League One player, [Declan] Rice’s numbers are shocking and [Mikel] Merino injured. Lewis-Skelly isn’t going to get a glance in there, he’s third selection left-back.
‘He’s surely on his way.’
On the treatment of Nwaneri, Durham added: ‘He’s [Dowman] also seen one other youth team product Ethan Nwaneri used to spice up Arteta’s ego – ‘take a look at me, I play young players’ – and yet of their title season he’s sent to Marseille with no recall clause which is total disrespect.
‘So Max Dowman needs to check out this stuff and realise that he’s just one other tick in Mikel Arteta’s box.
‘It’s all about Arteta, it’s not about Dowman and if he stays there, Arteta will keep signing right wingers for money until Max Dowman realises Arteta is just not that into him. That’s the fact of it.
‘[Bukayo] Saka is playing like me this season. He’s never going to be dropped. [Noni] Madueke played within the cup final like he didn’t even know what a football was. They’re each ahead of Dowman on that right hand side.
‘Arsenal were sinking fast in that cup final. Embarrassed on the massive stage. They needed something special and yet Arteta didn’t bring Max Dowman on.’
‘He didn’t bring on the true starboy that saved Arsenal within the Everton game within the Premier League.
‘Here’s the thing, the cup final proved what loads of people think – Arsenal aren’t that good.
‘They’re going to win the title, not because they’re special, they’re winning it because City have been below standard, Chelsea are a ridiculous football club, Liverpool have had an unattainable situation to take care of since last summer and Man United stuck with [Ruben] Amorim for much too long.
‘So Dowman can take a look at Nwaneri being told he’s not going to get a game at 10, they’d slightly spend big on [Eberechi] Eze or play [Kai Havertz there which is ridiculous.
‘Take a look at Lewis-Skelly going backwards in his profession. He even got into the England team and Arteta just discarded him and he’s not going to go to the World Cup.’
And in a final plea to Dowman, he said: ‘Max Dowman don’t follow their path. Forget who your loved ones supports, that’s irrelevant now. Take into consideration your profession, go discover a stage your talents deserve.
‘Barcelona, Real Madrid, wherever it’s. Go discover a coach who will get the best out of you and produce you success in your profession.
‘You deserve higher than Arsenal.’
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