Luton Town boss Jack Wilshere has asked Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta about a potential loan for Max Dowman “a couple of times”, Mick Harford has revealed.
Luton Town are looking to rise from League One this season, with Jack Wilshere leading the charge. LTFC have had a slow start to the campaign but they remain among the promotion favourites, and their summer transfer business will prove key in any success they find.
Now, it has emerged that one player on Hatters boss Wilshere’s radar was Arsenal wonderkid Max Dowman. Speaking to talkSPORT, senior scout and ambassador Mick Harford revealed enquiries into a potential loan deal for the 16-year-old.
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He said: “I think Jack’s asked him a couple of times, Mikel (Arteta), but I don’t think he’ll be going out on loan.”
Max Dowman’s Arsenal trajectory does not feature a Luton Town loan move
Dowman is only 16, but he is currently viewed as one of England’s biggest prospects for some time. He made his senior debut and played UEFA Champions League football for Arsenal at the age of just 15.
He is firmly in Arteta’s first-team plans. Dowman scored twice in a 4-2 win over Premier League rivals Ipswich Town in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday, affirming just how good he already is.
With the greatest of respect, the teenager’s trajectory is far steeper than that of Luton Town, and he is already operating levels above League One football. The chances are that his development will not feature a loan exit of any capacity, let alone to a third tier side.
Over time, Dowman is expected to become a star player for both Arsenal and England. If he plays like he did against Ipswich Town in most of his cameos and starts, that might come sooner rather than later.
Max Dowman’s Arsenal stats
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The Verdict: No faulting Wilshere for asking as Luton Town look to win promotion
Regardless of just how ambitious Wilshere’s interest was, there will be no faulting him in asking the question to Arsenal and Arteta about a Dowman loan. No matter how unlikely, the upside of landing such a talent made the enquiries more than worth it.
The teenager could have been a huge asset in LTFC’s bid to rise out of League One and back to the Championship.
Thanks to Wilshere’s connection with the Gunners, we could yet see some top Arsenal prospects arrive at Kenilworth Road in the years to come. As his reputation as a manager grows, the boss will hope to be trusted with elite prospects from the Gunners and other top academies.
Some clubs have already done so, with Dan Gore, Jamie Donley and Emilio Lawrence joining from Manchester United, Spurs and Manchester City respectively.
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