Former Arsenal star failed with move for Max Dowman

Luton Town’s chief recruitment officer Mick Harford says Jack Wilshere has tried to take Max Dowman on loan from Arsenal a ‘couple of times’ – but Mikel Arteta has blocked the youngster’s exit.

Long tipped as a future star while rising through Arsenal’s academy ranks, Dowman burst onto the scene last season, scoring a sublime goal against Everton to help steer the Gunners to the Premier League title.

The 16-year-old, widely regarded to be among the brightest young talents in European football, took centre-stage for Arsenal on Tuesday night, completing a stunning brace in the side’s Carabao Cup victory over Ipswich.

In the summer, there were even calls for Dowman to receive a senior England call-up and and while Thomas Tuchel resisted the urge to take the attacking midfielder to the World Cup, it’s surely only a matter of time before he makes his bow for the Three Lions.

First, though, Dowman will be looking to step up his playing time at club level, with his appearance this week representing his first start of the season for the north Londoners.

There had been speculation throughout the recent transfer window that Dowman may be allowed to leave on loan with a view to boosting his first-team minutes – but it’s clear Arteta wanted him for selection.

‘I think Jack [Wilshere] asked him [Arteta] a couple of times, but I don’t think he’ll be going out on loan,’ Luton chief Harford – the former England forward – told talkSPORT.

Dowman’s meteoric rise has often been compared to that of Wilshere, now the manager of League One outfit Luton, who broke out of Arsenal’s academy ranks as a supremely gifted youngster back in 2008.

Though curtailed by a series of injuries, Wilshere went on to enjoy a stellar career at both club and international level, lifting two FA Cups with the Gunners and winning 34 caps for his country.

‘Jack was a wonderful footballer, he still is on the training ground,’ Harford said of the Luton head coach.

‘He started, not as a wide man, but as a wide man tucking in those little pockets, getting on the ball and creating stuff.

‘Dowman looks more of a wide man than a pocket player, but a wonderful talent.

‘I think he will get more game-time and I think if he produces, I think Arteta will play him.

‘I’m a believer in if you’re ready, I don’t care what age you are. If you’re good enough, you’ll play and I’m sure he will. He looks like he’s going to be a superstar.’

After Dowman’s double versus Ipswich this week, Arteta sang the teen’s praises, claiming it was a ‘joy’ to have him in the group.

However, the Arsenal head coach is eager to keep a lid on the inevitable hype surrounding Dowman, which he admitted was no simple task.

Asked how he planned to contain the hype, Arteta told reporters: ‘Depending on what he does on the pitch, it’s not easy.

‘I understand but what we have to do is look after him.

‘He’s 16 years old, you don’t see that in this league. In other leagues in Europe, that’s a totally different context.

‘But in this league, with the demands that the league, the players and everything puts on you, we really need to make sure that every time we throw him in it’s in the right context with the right preparation.

‘And that’s what we are trying to do. We want to make sure that he’s ready to handle it when we throw him in at every level.’

The Spaniard made sure to stress that the youngster’s workload would have to be carefully ‘managed’ in order for him to keep producing on a consistent basis.

‘It’s not just that he can run past somebody, there are a lot more things where we have to look after him,’ Arteta continued.

‘He will dictate that in terms of how he behaves in every single day and how many reasons he gives us to play him because he’s part of our squad like anybody else.

‘The only thing we need to manage is to constantly be aware that he needs to be prepared to do what he needs to do.

Arsenal switch their attentions back to Premier League matters with a trip to the south coast to do battle with Fabian Hurzeler’s Brighton this weekend.

The north Londoners boast a 100 per cent record at this embryonic stage of the season, winning seven from seven in all competitions.

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