{"id":20517,"date":"2025-07-25T06:52:05","date_gmt":"2025-07-25T06:52:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/20517\/"},"modified":"2025-07-25T06:52:05","modified_gmt":"2025-07-25T06:52:05","slug":"rio-ferdinand-backs-arsenal-star-to-have-proper-breakout-year-and-drools-over-max-dowman-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/20517\/","title":{"rendered":"Rio Ferdinand backs Arsenal star to have ‘proper breakout year’ and drools over Max Dowman | Football"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\"Arsenal
\n\t\tArsenal have some extraordinary young talent emerging from their academy ranks (Picture: Getty)<\/p>\n

Rio Ferdinand<\/a> is \u2018begging\u2019 Mikel Arteta to give Ethan Nwaneri<\/a> a greater role next season and believes it could be a \u2018proper breakout year\u2019 for the midfielder if he is handed more opportunities.<\/p>\n

Nwaneri announced himself as one of English football\u2019s most exciting talents last term, rising from Arsenal\u2019s academy ranks to establish himself as a genuine first-team option for Arteta, along with fellow Hale End product Myles Lewis-Skelly<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The 18-year-old made a total of 37 appearances across the campaign, while chipping in with nine goals in all competitions \u2013 numbers he will no doubt be looking to improve on going forward.<\/p>\n

However, as Arsenal approached the business end of the season in both the Premier League and Champions League<\/a>, Arteta tended to lean on his more experienced players, with the teenager starting just one of the Gunners\u2019 final nine matches.<\/p>\n

Competition for places in Arsenal\u2019s attacking areas means Nwaneri may have to be patient for a regular starting berth. He will, though, be encouraged to have been given the nod for the side\u2019s pre-season clash with AC Milan on Wednesday<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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But while Nwaneri shone in Singapore before coming off for Martin Odegaard, it was another wonderkid, Max Dowman, 15, who stole the show with a sublime cameo performance in the second half.<\/p>\n

After watching Arsenal\u2019s 1-0 victory over Milan, Ferdinand drooled over the club\u2019s wealth of young talent, with Dowman just the latest prospect to make his mark in the first-team. <\/p>\n

\t\t\"Arsenal
\n\t\tNwaneri could be set for a \u2018proper breakout year\u2019 next season, says Ferdinand (Picture: Getty)<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Arsenal
\n\t\tDowman is being tipped for a bright future at Arsenal (Picture: Getty)<\/p>\n

\u2018Everyone who watched the podcast knows that there\u2019s a different energy about me when I\u2019m talking about young players,\u2019 the legendary ex-Manchester United and England defender said on his Rio Ferdinand Presents YouTube channel.<\/p>\n

\u2018I was the same with Kobbie Mainoo in the Euros, Phil Foden when he first burst onto the scene, Cole Palmer, Lamine Yamal, obviously, Desire Doue, great young players who just get you off your seat. You watch them and go, \u201cOh, yeah! Give me some more of that!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018This player played one pre-season game. I spoke about him in November and I\u2019ve probably spoken about him a bit before that as well because I\u2019ve seen him before as a young kid. Max Dowman, don\u2019t forget that name. Arsenal have produced another young gem.\u2019<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Manchester
\n\t\tFerdinand is \u2018begging\u2019 Arteta to give Nwaneri more minutes next season (Picture: Getty)<\/p>\n

Ferdinand added: \u2018They\u2019ve got Nwaneri coming through, too, and I think this season could be his proper breakout year. I hope it will be. <\/p>\n

\u2018They\u2019ve already had [Bukayo] Saka for a few years now who seems like an elder statesman in this changing room and there are 15-year-olds knocking about like Max Dowman.<\/p>\n

\u2018He\u2019s become one of the youngest Arsenal players to play at the club in a pre-season friendly in Singapore, against AC Milan by the way. Not minnows\u2026 AC Milan. <\/p>\n

\u2018It\u2019s early days but it looks like Declan Rice has taken him under his wing, he posted a picture of him on the coach travelling about.\u2019<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Arsenal
\n\t\tDowman has been taken on Arsenal\u2019s pre-season tour of Asia this summer (Picture: Getty)<\/p>\n

Having kept tabs on Dowman\u2019s progress with interest, Ferdinand believes Arsenal may well have the finest 15-year-old talent in world football on their hands.<\/p>\n

\u2018He\u2019s definitely the best 15-year-old in the country, probably in Europe right now, maybe the world,\u2019 he continued.<\/p>\n

\u2018I keep seeing people say, \u201cDon\u2019t hype him!\u201d\u2026 what are we in football for? What are we here for? We\u2019re here to be entertained, to get excited about young talent. We\u2019re here to talk about it, love it, appreciate it.<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Arsenal
\n\t\tArteta has been keen to ease expectations on Arsenal\u2019s young talent (Picture: Getty)<\/p>\n

\u2018We\u2019re not putting expectations on his name or saying he\u2019s got to play ten games or he\u2019s got to score five, ten goals. I\u2019m just saying I love him!<\/p>\n

\u2018I want to see this, I want to see these young players coming out. He is a joke.\u2019<\/p>\n

After Arsenal\u2019s defeat of Milan, Mikel Arteta admitted Dowman would have to raise his \u2018physical levels\u2019<\/a> if he is to become a first-team regular down the line.<\/p>\n

But according to Ferdinand, coaches and team-mates at Arsenal have been stunned by what the teen has been producing on a daily basis at the training ground.<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Arsenal
\n\t\tDowman is \u2018definitely\u2019 the best 15-year-old in the country, says Ferdinand (Picture: Getty)<\/p>\n

\u2018What I\u2019m hearing from some of the people I know in the Arsenal camp is that he is transferring his 15-year-old ability that he showed with the Under-18s with Arsenal, with England,\u2019 he explained.<\/p>\n

\u2018He\u2019s playing years up, with the Under-21s, and shifting that into the first-team when he\u2019s training with them.<\/p>\n

\u2018The players and the coaching staff are going, \u201cWe ain\u2019t really seen this\u201d, and transferring that into the first-team is ridiculous so long may this continue and I hope we\u2019re talking more and more about Max Dowman as the season goes on.<\/p>\n

\u2018Special shoutout to Ethan Nwaneri as well. I want to see him getting more game-time. Please, Mikel Arteta, play these kids because I think they\u2019re good enough. <\/p>\n

\u2018He\u2019s going to know them because he sees them more than me, but I\u2019m just begging that he can give these kids more game-time while trying to win the Premier League which I know is difficult.<\/p>\n

\u2018But when there\u2019s talent, it\u2019s undeniable sometimes and I think these two boys are undeniable talents.\u2019<\/p>\n

For more stories like this,\u00a0check our sport page<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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