ARSENAL youngster Max Dowman made his debut for the club’s Under-18s on Saturday – at the age of just 13.
The midfielder has rapidly ascended through Arsenal’s Hale End academy this season.
GettyMax Dowman made his debut for Arsenal’s U18’s on Saturday[/caption]
And his talent was awarded with a call-up to Jack Wilshere‘s U18s at the weekend.
The Gunners took on Southampton‘s U18s at London Colney and cruised to a 4-0 win thanks to goals from Chidozie Obi-Martin and Louis Zecevic-John.
But Dowman proved to be one of the stars of the show when he was introduced in the second half.
Arsenal fans were left stunned when they discovered the midfielder’s age, with one person tweeting: “13 is crazy!”
Another added: “Must be some player!”
A third said: “A 13-year-old in U18s, that is some achievement!”
While a fourth fan wrote: “Arsenal’s next generation is promising!”
Wilshere heaped praise on Dowman after the match and admitted the young teenager “deserved” his chance with the U18 side.
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The former midfielder said: “We take a holistic view of the academy, pushing our players to excel.
“Debut opportunities aren’t handed out lightly, and Max has demonstrated over the past few months that he deserves this chance. There are others on the verge of stepping up as well.
“He handled the moment admirably, sending an important message to the team that when we introduce players, they possess the quality to contribute effectively.”