Micah Richards has suggested that Mikel Arteta needs to loan out one ‘special’ Arsenal star in order for him to properly develop.
Arsenal have enjoyed a fantastic season so far, winning 12 of their 14 games across all competitions, with many tipping them to finally win their first Premier League title since 2004.
Mikel Arteta’s squad depth is remarkable with plenty of talented attacking options including Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze and Gabriel Martinelli.
Another highly-rated forward is wonderkid Max Dowman who made his first-team debut for the Gunners in August aged just 15.
The teenager has made four senior appearances to date, including his first start in Wednesday’s Carabao Cup victory over Brighton, where he earned plenty of praise from Arteta and Seagulls boss Fabian Hurzeler.
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Real Madrid have sent scouts to watch Dowman but Arsenal look to have secured his future, with the teen to sign a scholarship deal when he turns 16 in December, with reports suggesting a professional contract will follow next year.
Arteta has no issue playing the right-winger despite his tender years but Richards thinks it may be more beneficial for the player if he were to spend some time away from the Emirates.
‘He’s special, isn’t he? He’s special,’ the former Manchester City defender said on The Rest is Football.
‘I think the difference that I see with him is that normally, you get thrown in at 15-16 because you are physically developed. And he’s not, he’s technically developed, which would say that he’s going to be something special.
‘He’s just got a window from 16 to 18 to keep developing at the same rate. And Mikel Arteta comes with these quotes, but he has to be playing also, because you can’t get 30 minutes here and then 90 minutes [there], because other people are developing at a quicker rate than you would be.
‘Maybe he needs to go out on loan. I know that’s maybe too early, I don’t think he can go out on loan yet at 15. He’s not going to get the game time.’
Fellow pundit Gary Lineker rebutted, claiming Dowman would get plenty of minutes but Richards isn’t convinced, replying: ‘But he plays in a position that Saka plays, so he’s not.
‘He can play No.10 and he can play the other side. But the manager, the way he is, I would say, he errs on the side of being a little bit more defensive with Saka and then allowing the players to come on.
‘He’s not going to play ahead of Saka. But to keep developing, he needs to play. That would be my only worry.’
Dowman has not played in the Premier League since a late cameo against Liverpool in August and has been in and out of Arsenal’s matchday squad since then.
His next chance to show off his abilities will be on Saturday when the Gunners travel to Burnley.
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