Bukayo Saka has challenged Max Dowman to make the most of his remarkable talent after describing the Arsenal teenager as “insane”.
Dowman’s rapid rise has continued this season, with the 16-year-old forcing himself into Mikel Arteta’s senior plans and producing another statement performance in the Carabao Cup.
His progress has now earned public backing from one of Arsenal’s most important players.
Saka believes there is virtually no limit on what his Hale End teammate can achieve if Dowman continues to develop.
Bukayo Saka delivers Max Dowman verdict
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, with his comments reported by the Evening Standard, Saka said: “His talent is insane.”
The Arsenal winger added: “It’s up to him how far he’s going to go in football.”
Those comments arrive after an extraordinary few weeks for Dowman.
The teenager scored twice in Arsenal’s 4-2 Carabao Cup win at Ipswich Town, with his brace at Portman Road underlining just how quickly he is adapting to senior football.
That performance also placed Dowman alongside Wayne Rooney in the record books, with the Arsenal youngster becoming only the second 16-year-old to score twice in a senior match for a Premier League club.
Dowman faces major Arsenal decision
Saka’s comments are particularly interesting because Dowman’s immediate future is already becoming a major talking point.
His development pathway could become even more complicated in January, with more than a dozen clubs reportedly interested in a loan move once he becomes eligible for a temporary switch.
There has also been increasing international recognition.
Dowman remains with England’s Under-19 squad during the current break, although the teenager could yet be given an opportunity to train with Thomas Tuchel’s senior England squad.
Saka knows the Hale End pathway better than most.
He developed from academy prospect into one of Arsenal and England’s leading players, making his assessment of Dowman’s potential particularly significant.
The question for Arsenal is increasingly not whether Dowman is talented enough for senior football, but how quickly Arteta should accelerate his development.
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