16-year-old signs pre-agreement for first pro contract
‘What Max has done age 15, I haven’t seen before’
Mikel Arteta has likened Max Dowman to a young Lionel Messi after the teenager committed his future to Arsenal.
Dowman, who in November became the youngest player to play in the Champions League at 15 years and 308 days, has signed a pre-agreement for his first professional contract when he turns 17 in December. It is understood several clubs were interested in the England Under-19s forward but there was never real doubt over whether the player who joined Arsenal aged six would stay.
Arteta started his career at Barcelona and was on the books when Messi joined in 2000, although he had gone by the time the Argentina forward made his first-team debut at 17. Arsenal’s manager was asked how Dowman, the youngest player to start a match for Arsenal, compared with other players to have come through the club’s Hale End academy.
