Jack Wilshere's comments about Arsenal wonderkid, 15, likened to Kaka speak volumes

Arsenal starlet Max Dowman has made headlines this summer for his cameos on the club's pre-season tour of Hong Kong and Singapore. Gunners boss Mikel Arteta has previously spoken in glowing terms about the 15-year-old, who has impressed in games against AC Milan and Newcastle and even embarrassed some Arsenal stars in training.

Yet for those in and around the north London club, Dowman's rapid ascent to the first team is nothing new, with some fans evenlabelling him the next Lionel Messi. Former Arsenal star and ex-coach of the club's under-18s, Jack Wilshere, praised the youngster for his performances, while another mentoronce likened the youngster to Brazilian icon Kaka.

After Arsenal's youth side beat Fulham 5-2 last year, with Dowman assisting four goals, Wilshere backed the young star to make it to Arteta's first XI. High praise indeed from a man who once made his bow at just 16 years and 256 days, becoming Arsenal's youngest-ever league debutant at the time.

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"There's always a concern when fielding such a young player in these matches, but if you're good enough you're old enough," Wilshere told club media in April 2024. "He can be more consistent but he's only 14 and hasn't even started his GCSEs yet.

"We need to find a balance of letting him play and enjoy the game because of his age but also trying to get as much work into him as we can. Hopefully we can fast-track him and when he goes over to the first team, he'll be more ready."

On Dowman's reliability and how he deals with pressure, Wilshere added: "It's reassuring to know that if I field an under-14 who isn't a regular in our training sessions, I can trust that they grasp our playing style and tactics. Debut opportunities aren't handed out lightly, and Max has demonstrated over the past few months that he deserves this chance."

Dowman's thrilling comparison to Milan legend Kaka came from academy coach Gustavo Oliveira. Heartened from what he had seen from the then 14-year-old, Oliveira said: "He plays in the style of Kaka. He can write his name. One day he will play for the England national team and in the Premier League."

However, even the Champions League-winning Brazilian had to wait until he was 18 until his professional debut for Sao Paulo. Arteta has spoken recently about how he wants to give more Arsenal academy stars a chance to prove their worth in the first team, something Dowman is currently doing in abundance.

He said: "We want to get as much talent as we possibly can from the academy and bring it up to the first team. This is a beautiful context for them to get involved.

"The way they adapt at that age, I could not do - but I think this generation goes faster. They are ready a little bit earlier. We don't have to rush. Make sure we manage the right steps and the right expectations for all of them, and then let's see what they demand."

Dowman's talent isn't going unnoticed outside the walls of Arsenal either. Former Manchester United and England star Rio Ferdinand recently branded the 15-year-old as "the best in the world" in his age group and even hailed the youngster's frightening talent as "a joke.”

Fans may get another glimpse of Dowman in action on Thursday, as Arsenal face bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur in a pre-season clash in Hong Kong.

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