Rio Ferdinand had numerous battles with Arsenal throughout his career, but the Manchester United legend has become excited by one talent at the Gunners
Rio Ferdinand with both hands over his head in shock while speaking into a microphone on his podcast
Rio Ferdinand is excited about one young talent at Arsenal(Image: YouTube/Rio Ferdinand Presents)
Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand believes Arsenal's teenage sensation Max Dowman is the most exciting English talent since Wayne Rooney. Dowman, despite not even being old enough to sit his GCSEs, has left Gunners talent drooling with his talent during pre-season.
In a summer featuring the arrivals of stars like Viktor Gyokeres, Noni Madueke and others, the player Arsenal fans haven't been able to stop watching is the 15-year-old, a product of the club's fabled academy system. Dowman, who has been playing above his age group for a number of years and spent much of last term training with the first team, was included on the north Londoners' pre-season tour of Asia.
And while he may have presumed he was only there for the experience, boss Mikel Arteta had other ideas, desploying him in their friendlies against AC Milan, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur, where he immediately made an impression. Dowman, who was born in 2009, has already impressed Declan Rice and the Gunners boss with his mature displays.
Ferdinand, who won his fourth Premier League title the year Dowman was born, has been so captivated by the teen, he thinks he is just as exciting as a young Rooney was. Speaking on Rio Ferdinand Presents, the ex-England captain said: "Dowman excites me on another level. This kid is different."
When co-host Joel Beya told Ferdinand, who already sang Dowman's praises last month, that some people are calling the teenager the best talent England has produced since Rooney, he instantly replied: "Yes. I am saying the same thing.”
After Beya suggested Ferdinand should take it easy with such a comparison, he hit back: "What? Have you seen him? They’re different. This kid is not Rooney.
"Just let me put it out there, he is not Rooney. He is not built. He hasn’t got a hairy chest. He hasn’t got a beard at the age of 16. Rooney was a man. A man-child.”
Max Dowman of Arsenal (R) handles the ball against Son Heung-Min of Tottenham Hotspur (C) during to the pre-season friendly match between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur: at Kai Tak Stadium, Kai Tak Sports Park on July 31, 2025 in Hong Kong, China
Dowman looked impressive in Asia(Image: 2025 Getty Images)
Rooney was responsible for perhaps the most spectacular breakthrough in Premier League history when he made his Everton debut at the age of 16. He came off the bench against Arsenal and crashed home a strike from 30 yards, which smashed off the underside of the crossbar on its way into the net in 2003.
He went on to become United and England's highest-ever goalscorer, until Harry Kane broke the latter record in an away clash against Italy in 2023. While Ferdinand has compared the breakouts of Rooney and Dowman, he did insist they are different types of players.
He added: "The thing with Wayne Rooney is that he had guile, but he came on with brute force. He was like, 'You’re going to know about me because I’m going to force it down your throat.’
Wayne Rooney of Everton celebrates scoring the equalising goal during the FA Barclaycard Premiership match between Arsenal and Everton held on March 23, 2003 at Highbury, in London. Arsenal won the match 2-1
Rooney's Premier League debut is enshrined in English football folklore
"This kid is more subtle, more technical. All he is going to do is have people on ice skates, slipping and sliding everywhere. Very rarely do you see a player actually get near him and touch him.
"He is that elusive. He’s a player who will excite you, get you off your seat. You’ll be going, 'Have you seen that?’ He’s making defenders into memes.”
Dowman is yet to make his full, competitive senior debut for the Gunners, but he appears to have a great chance this season. Arteta has a record of promoting youngsters, having made Ethan Nwaneri the youngest player in Premier League history when he brought him on during a 3-0 victory at Brentford in 2022, aged just 15 years and 181 days old.
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