Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has made it clear that he has not dismissed the possibility of sending 16‑year‑old prodigy Max Dowman out on loan at some point down the line. The club, he explained, will review the teenager's development every six months to decide what course of action best serves his growth and the team's needs.

Dowman's upward trajectory continued this week when he started the Carabao Cup clash against Ipswich Town and found the back of the net twice, helping the Gunners to a comfortable victory. His performance prompted Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino to draw a comparison with Barcelona and Spain wunderkind Lamine Yamal, highlighting the level of talent the youngster possesses.

Despite that standout display, the Portman Road appearance remains Dowman's only involvement in the current campaign, as he was omitted from the matchday squads for the league wins over Aston Villa and Sunderland. Arteta stressed that the club has not seriously entertained loan options yet, because the manager wants the teenager to remain part of the first‑team environment, especially during pre‑season preparations.

"We haven't really listened to any of the loan possibilities because we were clear that we want to have him in the squad, that we wanted him to be part of the pre‑season," Arteta said. "I'm going to start to see where we are from there.

We will evaluate every six months where we are, what is the best thing for him to do and from there make the right decisions." He added that any future decision will hinge on a range of factors: the player's own needs, the overall situation within the squad, the amount of playing time he receives, and the quality of his performances when called upon. "It will depend on a lot of factors: what he needs, where the team is as well, the availability that we have in the squad, the amount of minutes that he's playing, the quality he's delivering when he's got those minutes. We have to be open, but now the focus is to be here and impact the team," the manager explained. Arteta reflected on the mixed record of loan spells for players of Dowman's age, noting that some youngsters thrive when sent elsewhere, while others struggle to make an impact.

He recalled his own experience as a 17‑year‑old moving to Paris Saint‑Germain, saying that the environment and the coach's belief in a player can make a huge difference. "Depending on the atmosphere that you find there, how much the coach believes in you, you go there just to be part of a squad, not to play minutes," he said. The Arsenal chief also emphasized that the decision about a loan would not be tied to any particular country; it would simply be about finding the right setting for the teenager's development. "Which country?

Depends. But now he's in a great place. He's in a good place right now and let's keep him here," Arteta concluded.

Last season, Dowman etched his name into the record books by becoming the Premier League's youngest ever goal‑scorer and starter during Arsenal's title‑winning run, and he also made history as the youngest player to appear in a Champions League final. Over the past nine months, Arsenal have already experimented with loan moves for other teenage talents, most notably sending Ethan Nwaneri – who broke the record for the youngest Premier League debutant in 2022 at just 15 – to Marseille and then Borussia Dortmund, where he is currently gaining valuable experience. Former striker Jay Bothroyd, speaking on Sky Sports News, weighed in on the conversation, asserting that Dowman has already surpassed fellow Arsenal youngster Noni Madueke in terms of ability. "Noni Madueke is not playing for Arsenal.

For me, Max Dowman is better than Madueke now," Bothroyd said. He argued that if England selectors are considering Madueke for future squads, they should also be looking at Dowman.

"If you're going to consider Madueke for England, then you definitely have to consider Dowman. And Dowman should be in that England squad right now. There's no doubt about that for me." Bothroyd went on to project Dowman's role in the national team, predicting that the 16‑year‑old, now in his second professional season, could be part of England's squad for the European Championships in 2028 when he will be 18. "He's going to be the future of England.

He's 16 but this is his second season as a pro. Come the European Championships in 2028, he's going to be 18.

He has to be in that squad and if he keeps doing what he's doing, he's going to be in that squad," the former player asserted. He also highlighted the mindset of young professionals who are eager to play now rather than waiting for a future window. "What's the negative?

If you're good enough, you're old enough. Professional players think a certain way. They're not thinking: I'm 16, I'll wait a few years.

They're thinking I want to play right now, especially if they're thinking they're better than who's in there," Bothroyd explained. In summary, Arteta's stance is one of cautious optimism: keep Dowman close, monitor his progress regularly, and only consider a loan if it truly benefits his development and aligns with Arsenal's competitive objectives. The club's track record with loaning out teenage prospects suggests they will weigh every angle carefully before making a move.

The consensus among pundits and former players is that Dowman's talent is undeniable, and whether he stays at the Emirates or ventures elsewhere, his future looks exceptionally bright.