Mikel Arteta May Fill Arsenal’s Attacking Holes With 15-year-old Max Dowman

Mikel Arteta has admitted that he is tempted to play nan 15-year-old Max Dowman against Brighton successful nan Carabao Cup connected Wednesday night. “When you look astatine what he does successful training you person to play him,” nan Arsenal head said.

Dowman made a brace of Premier League appearances successful August, having been a sensation successful pre‑season. His astir caller first‑team engagement was arsenic a substitute astatine Port Vale successful nan Carabao Cup connected 24 September. As pinch nan observant management of Ethan Nwaneri, who whitethorn besides play his portion astatine nan Emirates Stadium against Brighton, Arsenal person mapped retired Dowman’s development. He was an unused substitute past week successful nan Champions League conclusion of Athletic Bilbao.

Arteta said: “I americium calm complete it because what we person decided for him for nan first fewer months is happening. When we person to springiness him games, whether it is successful nan Youth Cup aliases pinch nan under-21s aliases pinch us, he has that. He has a batch of vulnerability successful training pinch us, too.

“A batch of caller things are happening to him pinch nan nationalist team, playing pinch 2 different property groups, and pinch us, and past preparing games pinch different team. It is simply a lot. We person to negociate that. He will play minutes pinch america for judge and erstwhile he has nan chance to do that he needs to return it.”

Dowman signed danasiwa position pinch Arsenal past week, pinch a master statement owed to beryllium finalised for his 17th birthday. He joined arsenic a five‑year‑old and nan dream is that he will enactment for nan agelong term. “That’s what we each want,” Arteta said. “I deliberation what he wants arsenic well. After that it is much for [the sporting director] Andrea [Berta] and nan club. But nan emotion that I person is that genuinely he loves it here. He is simply a immense Arsenal protagonist and his family are really happy pinch nan measurement things are processing astir him arsenic well. Hopefully for galore years he will beryllium pinch us.”

Dowman, having missed Arsenal under-21’s play nonaccomplishment to Chelsea, seems poised for involvement. Arteta said: “If we looked astatine his passport each time we would ne'er play him, elemental arsenic that. So it is uncovering a balance, an understanding, particularly nan load, nan things that are changing successful his life, and making judge he tin header pinch that. So far, he has done that.”

There are vacancies successful Arsenal’s attack, arsenic Arteta said: “In nan beforehand line, that is wherever we person much difficulties. Gabby Jesus out, Kai [Havertz] out, [Gabriel] Martinelli and [Noni] Madueke out. We person to beryllium much observant arsenic we don’t person galore options.”

Of Martinelli’s injury, Arteta said: “We are going to person to do a fewer much tests.”

William Saliba’s ankle wounded is being assessed, and he will besides miss out. Viktor Gyökeres, without a home extremity since 13 September, has started each Arsenal crippled speech from Port Vale.