Wayne Rooney was one of the most exciting players English football has ever seen as a teenager. Arsenal sensation Max Dowman is now threatening to be the best 16-year-old prodigy since Wazza burst onto the scene over 20 years ago.
Dowman has only just turned 16 and has already got on the scoresheet in a Premier League match for the Gunners, netting in a vital 2-0 win against Everton at the Emirates Stadium. Rooney's start to life in senior football eerily mirrors that.
Instead of scoring for Arsenal against Everton, the England legend netted his first goal in the division for the Toffees against the north Londoners. The long-range winner in 2002 came at Goodison Park, in front of Rooney's home fans, much like Dowman's effort.
Wayne Rooney's Everton Wage as a Teenage Prodigy
Wayne Rooney
Speaking on a recent episode of his BBC podcast (per Mail Sport), Rooney revealed how much money he was earning as a 16-year-old after that Arsenal stunner. He did confirm a deal with Ford that hadn't benefited him since the age of 14, but he wasn't quite making big bucks when he first came onto the scene. The striker-turned-pundit said:
"I had a deal with Ford from when I was about 14. Obviously they weren't giving me cars then, but that was for my dad.
"When I scored against Arsenal, I think I was on £75 per week, but that was four days before my 17th birthday."
Times were hard for the centre-forward, who admitted he would borrow money from his parents while still on scholarship terms. He continued: "When you turn 17, you can sign a professional contract, so I was still on my scholar [deal]. I used to borrow money off my mum and dad until I signed my pro contract!"
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"I remember I went into Audi thinking I was going to get this big Audi, when I was 17 and passed my test, and then remembered I had a deal with Ford," he joked. Just £75 each week is nothing compared to what his compatriot Dowman is earning in north London.
Dowman Blows Rooney's Wages Out of the Water
MAX DOWMAN ARSENAL
While he hasn't quite hit the big time in terms of salary, Dowman has a £35,000-per-week contract waiting for him when he turns 17 in December. The midfielder is only earning a fraction of that currently, but it's still considerably more than Rooney.
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He takes home £350 each week, which is five times as much as the Three Lions icon at the same age. Dowman has big expectations surrounding him already, and Arsenal will be hoping he plays a bigger role next year when he's taking home over £400,000 annually.