Arsenal wonderkid, 14, dubbed the ‘next Kaka’ and already playing with Jack Wilshere’s U18s backed to star for England
ARSENAL’S conveyor belt of talent may have found its next big hit.
It comes after a 14-year-old was tipped to be a future England star.
The Gunners’ Hale End academy has produced some major talents in recent years, including teen Ethan Nwaneri and Crystal Palace ace Eddie Nketiah, while talisman Bukayo Saka is chief among them.
However, academy coach Gustavo Oliveira has earmarked wonderkid Max Dowman as the next big talent to come out of the club.
The teen has built a reputation for being a fast dribbler and gifted on the ball.
Speaking to PL Brasil, he even compared Dowman to Brazilian icon Kaka.
He 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.”
Such is Dowman’s talent, that he is already playing with Jack Wilshere‘s Under-18 team and made his debut for the England Under-17s last month.
He recently put in a standout performance against Birmingham, putting up two assists in a 3-2 comeback win.
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Wilshere lavished praise on him after the game, saying: “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. When we were 2-0 down, he was the one who wanted the ball.
“[He] drove at their defence and made things happen. His mentality to keep going, despite being kicked, and staying calm in those moments is impressive.”
Dowman also started for Arsenal‘s Under-19s in the Uefa Youth League last month, making him the second-youngest ever player in the competition and joining the likes of Evan Ferguson and Shola Shoretire in featuring in the competition aged 14.