Max Dowman is playing a regular role with the Arsenal first team in training, but he remains ineligible to play for Mikel Arteta’s side in matches.
Arsenal 15-year-old Max Dowman has regularly joined Mikel Arteta’s senior squad in training this season, and he was even called up for the first-team trip to Dubai over the last fortnight.
Yet Sami Mokbel reports for the Daily Mail that due to the current top-flight regulations, Dowman is ineligible to feature in the Arsenal senior squad or on the pitch in the Premier League because he was 14 when the season started.
Mokbel adds that Arsenal may be able to request special dispensation to use Dowman, but it’s not clear whether the Premier League would accept.
The report also highlights that Dowman has been called up for the England u17s this month, with the team due to face the Netherlands in a couple of friendly matches next week.
The u17s are preparing for the Elite Round of u17 Euro qualifiers in March, which also offer the opportunity to qualifer for the u17 World Cup. England face Israel on March 19th, Slovenia on March 22nd, and Northern Ireland on March 25th in their three qualification games.
It could be a big year for the team if they successfully qualify for both tournaments, with the Euros in May and the World Cup in November.
Back at Arsenal, Dowman could feature in the FA Youth Cup quarter-finals against Manchester United, and the u18s have a full programme of league fixtures as well.
There’s plenty to keep the young talent busy in youth football, so the club might be willing to wait for the player to become age-eligible for the senior game.