Arsenal’s Rising Star Shines Bright
It was a remarkable day for Arsenal’s young talent Max Dowman, who made his English Premier League debut against Leeds United on Saturday at just 15 years old. The attacking midfielder has garnered considerable acclaim for his exceptional performances while advancing through Arsenal’s renowned academy. In recent years, several elite players like Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri have emerged from the Hale End academy, but Dowman is widely viewed as the standout prospect.
This 15-year-old is undoubtedly a generational talent, having demonstrated impressive adaptability to the rigors of professional football in recent months. Dowman excelled during pre-season with the Gunners, and Mikel Arteta entrusted him with the last half-hour of the match against Leeds. As a result, Dowman became the second-youngest player in Arsenal’s history and made his presence felt by drawing a controversial penalty. While many young stars have made their debut in the Premier League, where does Dowman stand among the youngest debutants in English top-flight history?
All-Time Youngest Premier League Players
Since the Premier League’s inception in the 1992/93 season, Dowman is now the second-youngest debutant, stepping onto the pitch at 15 years, seven months, and 23 days old. He is narrowly surpassed by fellow Arsenal academy graduate Ethan Nwaneri, who debuted in a 3-0 victory over Brentford in September 2022 while being nearly two months younger than Dowman.
Dowman hopes to receive more consistent playing time than Nwaneri, who has been used sporadically by Arteta in recent seasons. Jeremy Monga also features in the top five youngest debutants, having made his debut for Leicester last season under Ruud van Nistelrooy. Harvey Elliott is included as well, having debuted with Fulham before securing a major transfer. Wayne Rooney, a Manchester United legend who ranks 20th on the list, made a significant impact as a young player with Everton and expressed his admiration for Dowman: “Playing in the Premier League at that age is remarkable. I know I made my debut young, but he’s around 150 days younger than I was at that time.”
