Rising star Max Dowman signs new Arsenal deal and commits future to club he joined at the age of eight
By Tom Masters
Published 30/01/2026 at 10:15 GMT
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Max Dowman has agreed a new deal with Arsenal that will see him sign on professional terms with the Gunners in December, the club announced. Dowman, still only 16, has become one of the most exciting young talents in English football after emerging for Arsenal in their preseason tour to Singapore, and has since broken records across multiple competitions.
'The talent is unquestionable' - Pundits praise 'unbelievable' Dowman
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Max Dowman has signed a pre-contract agreement that will see him join Arsenal on professional terms in December, the club announced.
Dowman only turned 16 on December 31 last year, but has already emerged as one of the most exciting prospects in English football.
He surprised many when becoming involved with the senior team during the pre-season tour to Singapore and, in August, became the second-youngest player to play in the Premier League behind only Gunners teammate Ethan Nwaneri.
Dowman won a penalty as Arsenal romped to a 5-0 win over Leeds on that day, but due to being only 15 at the time, he was not allowed in the changing room.
Two months after that, he was named in the starting XI for the Carabao Cup match against Brighton, becoming the club’s youngest starter at 15 years and 302 days old.
And just six days later, Dowman broke yet another record when he became the youngest ever player to feature in the UEFA Champions League during the 3-0 win over Slavia Prague in November.
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The moment Arsenal's Dowman, 15, made UCL history
Video credit: TNT Sports
Dowman has been a part of the Arsenal academy since the age of eight but adapted to life at Hale End quicker than anyone could have expected at all levels.
He made his under-18 debut aged just 13 and was the youngest scorer in UEFA Youth League history at 14.
In 34 appearances for Arsenal U18 and U21, Dowman has scored 27 goals and assisted 10 more.
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Unsurprisingly, he starred for England U16 and U17 in 2024 and was part of the U17 squad for the 2025 under-17 Euros.
In September, he made his England U19 debut at the age of just 15 and beat Ryan Sessegnon’s nine-year old record in becoming the youngest ever U19 goalscorer as England beat Ukraine 2-0 in Spain.
Speaking on the deal, Dowman said: "This means everything to me and my family. We all support Arsenal and I really feel like I belong here. I’d like to thank all my coaches, teammates and, most importantly, my family and friends, who have got me to where I am today.
"I’ve been at the club my whole life, so this really means a lot. There’s such a clear pathway here, players who have come through our academy, like Bukayo [Saka], Myles [Lewis-Skelly] and Ethan [Nwaneri], who all really inspire me. It’s amazing to have role models so close that have experienced the same thing that I have. I’m now so excited to continue to work hard with my development."
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