Watching Arsenal's Max Dowman in full flow is like watching eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi, Gunners expert Charles Watts has claimed.
The 15-year-old phenom - who had already been dubbed the 'next Kaka' - was recently part of the England Under-17 squad that were knocked out of the European Championships in the group stage, but he lit up the pitch in a final 4-2 win over the Czech Republic.
Dowman opened the scoring in the fifth minute with a fabulous solo goal from a tight angle, before playing an astonishing through ball from inside his own half to set up Lyon youngster Alejandro Gomes Rodriguez.
Dowman was too young to make his Arsenal debut last year, but Mikel Arteta has confirmed that he will be part of his pre-season plans, and he has now earned the highest praise possible from Arsenal journalist Watts.
Asked by Sports Mole how exciting his development was to witness, Watts said: "Very exciting. We've got to remember he's only 15; I'm always a bit reluctant to talk too much about him, but because he's so high profile now and Mikel Arteta is talking about him an awful lot, it makes it easier for us to really discuss him without having to worry too much about about his age.
"He is not your normal 15-year-old. That's so evidently clear from when you see him. Against the Czech Republic, his highlight reel, it's honestly like you're watching Messi, which is not something I should be throwing around because that's too much pressure on a 15-year-old kid!
Watts: 'Watching Dowman is like watching Messi'
"But his ability to run with the ball, run away from defenders, they just can't get near him once he gets going. He creates so many chances for himself and his teammates. A hell of a talent. He'll be disappointed that England have gone out, but it might be a bit of a boost for Max Dowman long term.
"He's going to have a very busy pre-season, and he's played a lot of football recently. This will give him the opportunity to have a proper little rest before the summer, because this is a big summer. He's going to get his chance in pre-season on the tour. He's going to be able to play for the first team domestically if Mikel decides - that wasn't an option last year.
"If he can have a really strong summer, he's going to push himself into the reckoning for the first team, which is a remarkable thing to say for a kid so young. He's an unbelievable talent. It's just really hard not to be excited when you watch him play, you watch his ability and how much better he looks than absolutely everyone else on every pitch."
Dowman's strong displays at the Under-17 Euros came after a breathtaking end to the 2024-25 domestic season with Arsenal's Under-18s, as he found the back of the net 14 times in his final seven Premier League Under-18 matches.
The 2009-born talent trained with the first team throughout the previous campaign, but he cannot sign a professional deal with the Gunners until he turns 17 on New Year's Eve 2026.
As a result, Arsenal will be at risk of having their latest Hale End starboy poached by a rival academy setup, as Manchester United did with striker sensation Chido Obi last year.
'Arsenal can't be doing any more to keep Dowman'
Max Dowman in action for Arsenal's Under-14s on September 19, 2024© Imago
However, Watts believes that Arsenal are doing everything in their power to convince Dowman that his future belongs at the Emirates, and that there is a clear pathway to the first team for the 15-year-old playmaker.
"I don't think they can be doing any more than what they are doing," Watts added. "He's basically been part of the first team for the last six months anyway in terms of training. Mikel's talking him up publicly in press conferences, they're taking him on tour.
"It's crazy to say 19 months time will be his 17th birthday. He's that young still, that far off being 17. And yet we're talking about him as a first team player for Arsenal, which is just absolutely mad. It's unprecedented.
"They can't be doing any more than they are to show that the pathway is there, and they are keeping that pathway in mind in terms of everything they're doing. Hopefully that will be enough because it's going to be a nervy 19 months until he turns 17.
"There's actually very little more you can do. If he decides to go somewhere else and someone else gets in his ear, you just can't really do anything about it. I think every Arsenal fan will be desperate that it's enough, and they definitely can't be doing any more."
Dowman is expected to fly out to Asia for Arsenal's pre-season tour, where the Gunners will take on AC Milan and Newcastle United in Singapore on July 23 and 27 respectively, before facing North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in Hong Kong on July 31.
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