Photo: 'Unreal' Arsenal youngster likened to Kaka called up by Mikel Arteta to pre-Forest training

11/23/2024 03:15 AM

Arsenal return to Premier League action on Saturday as they play host to Nottingham Forest in a 3pm kick-off at the Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners will be eager to get back to winning ways after suffering a downturn in form in the league.

Arsenal’s last victory in the top flight came on 5 October when they beat Southampton.

Since then, Mikel Arteta’s charges have lost to Bournemouth and Newcastle, along with drawing against Liverpool and Chelsea.

Arsenal will be up against a tough Nottingham Forest side that started the season very well, although they go into Saturday's game on the back of a 3-1 loss to Newcastle.

On Friday, the Arsenal media team shared photos of their players in training, and a young talent likened to Kaka was spotted in the session.

Max Dowman spotted in Arsenal training ahead of Nottingham Forest clash

The player in question is Max Dowman, one of the best youngsters in the Hale End setup.

At just 14 years of age, Dowman is already featuring with the first-team from time to time, and this was the case again ahead of Saturday.

The young attacking midfielder was photographed tussling with the likes of Gabriel Jesus and Jorginho at London Colney.

Fellow academy graduate Jack Henry-Francis was also seen in the picture as he trained following his loan return from Sligo Rovers.

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Who is Arsenal academy prodigy Max Dowman?

Born on 31 December 2009, Dowman is a 14-year-old attacking midfielder who has been making waves in Arsenal’s youth setup.

Dowman made his debut for Arsenal Under-18s as a substitute against Southampton in September 2023 aged just 13.

He continues to play for the U18s, having made eight outings in the U18 Premier League and UEFA Youth League this term, bagging one goal and two assists in the process.

Arsenal youth scout Joe Black recently told Rising Ballers that Dowman is 'doing very well' with his development at Hale End.

Black added that the teenager is 'making a lot of noise' right now, having played above his age range.

Meanwhile, David Ornstein noted in March that Dowman is viewed as a top talent inside Arsenal.

“He plays in the style of Kaka,” Gunners youth team coach Gustavo Oliveira told PL Brasil earlier this year.

“He can write his name. One day he will play for the England national team and in the Premier League.”

Meanwhile, former Arsenal youth coach Jack Wilshere said, as per football.london: “Max’s performances speak for themselves, but there's still a lot of room for development.

“For a 14-year-old, his character and personality are unreal.”

Back in September, Dowman become the youngest ever goalscorer in the UEFA Youth League, aged 14 years, eight months and 19 days.