Rio Ferdinand pleads with Arteta as Arsenal star branded ‘a joke’ | Football | Sport

Rio Ferdinand has begged Mikel Arteta to hand Arsenal wonderkid Max Dowman valuable game time this season. Following the 15-year-old’s impressive pre-season performance against AC Milan, the former Manchester United defender hailed Dowman as “a joke”.

Arsenal supporters are no strangers to Dowman’s prodigious talent, having closely monitored his rise through the youth team ranks. Despite his tender age, the left-footed attacking midfielder has been fast-tracked into the first team, training with the Gunners’ senior squad since the start of this year. Dowman was included in the squad that Mikel Arteta took to Spain for a training camp last week and, on Wednesday, he made his senior debut at the 65-minute mark against AC Milan during the team’s pre-season match in Singapore. The England U17s superstar took up the right wing position, appearing sharp and comfortable whenever he had the ball and even scoring Arsenal’s sixth penalty in a pre-arranged penalty shootout. His dazzling cameo sent a clear signal that he’s ready to be called upon by Arteta once the 2025/26 season kicks off.

Former TNT Sports pundit Ferdinand is among the many who have jumped aboard the Dowman hype train, having been left awestruck by what he’s witnessed so far. He said on Rio Ferdinand Presents: “There’s a different energy about me when I’m talking about young players. Young players that get you off your seat. Who you watch and you just go, ‘Ooh, give me some more of that’.

“I spoke about him in November by the way, Max Dowman, don’t forget that name guys. Hale End at Arsenal have produced another young gem. They’ve got Ethan Nwaneri already and Bukayo Saka who’s an elder statesman now in the changing room.

“And 15-year-old Dowman knocking about now. If you haven’t seen the clips I advise you to go online. Look, it’s early days… But it looks like Declan Rice has taken him under his wing, they took a selfie together. He’s definitely the best 15-year-old in the country, probably in Europe right now. Maybe the world.

“I keep seeing people saying, ‘Don’t overhype’ – what are we in football for? We’re here to be entertained, to get excited about young talent and appreciate it. I’m not putting expectations on his shoulders or saying he’s got to play ten games or score five goals. I love it. I want to see the young players coming up.

“Go and see what this kid was doing in the FA Youth Cup game last year against Manchester United. He is a joke. And what I’m hearing from the Arsenal camp is that he’s transferring his ability shown in the youth team to when he’s training with the first team. The players are going, ‘Woah’, it’s ridiculous so long may this continue and I hope we talk more and more about Dowman as the season goes on, and also Ethan Nwaneri.”

Sending a direct message to the Arsenal boss, Ferdinand added: “Please, Mikel Arteta, play these kids because I think they’re good enough. He knows that because he sees them more than me. But I’m just begging that he can give them more game time while trying to win the Premier League. Talent is undeniable sometimes.”

Statistics go some way to showcasing Dowman’s lofty potential. He was just 13 when he became the youngest player to represent Arsenal’s Under-18s and was just 14 when he first appeared for the Under-21s, again setting a new record. In September 2024, he made history as the youngest player to ever score in the UEFA Youth League. Dowman has also been a standout for England, playing and scoring for the Under-17s at just 14 years old.

During this summer’s Under-17 European Championship, he was the tournament’s youngest participant but still started all three of England’s matches, scoring a remarkable solo goal against the Czech Republic. The FA Youth Cup quarter-final against Manchester United in February left many Arsenal fans in awe.

Playing at the Emirates Stadium for their Under-18s team, Dowman outshone all of the other players on the pitch. The only way the United players could keep tabs on him was by fouling him from behind.

Arsenal’s Player of the Season Rice echoed Ferdinand’s sentiments in March, stating: “He is unreal,” and dubbing Dowman “the best 15-year-old in the country”. Even Arteta, who usually looks to shield young players from the spotlight, has admitted: “Some of the things he does in training are unbelievable”.