Jack Wilshere has revealed Arsenal hope to "fast-track" 14-year-old Max Dowman into first-team contention as he continues to impress for the club's Under-18s.
Dowman starred in Arsenal's 5-2 win over Fulham on Saturday as he assisted four goals and earned huge praise from Wilshere, who returned to the club in 2022 to coach the Under-18s after announcing his retirement from playing.
"There's always a concern when fielding such a young player in these matches, but if you're good enough you're old enough," Wilshere told club media. "He can be more consistent but he's only 14 and hasn't even started his GCSEs yet.
"We need to find a balance of letting him play and enjoy the game because of his age but also trying to get as much work into him as we can. Hopefully, we can fast-track him and when he goes over to the first team he'll be more ready.
"I really enjoyed the performance. We had a blend of players spanning from under-14s to under-18s. It's always intriguing to see how they play together, how they fight together, and today, I felt we witnessed that in abundance.
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"It's reassuring to know that if I field an under-14 who isn't a regular in our training sessions, I can trust that they grasp our playing style and tactics. Today, they demonstrated that understanding flawlessly, which is a testament to the diligent work of all our coaches."
Dowman made his first appearance for the Under-18s back in September when he was just 13, with Wilshere stating at the time the midfielder was ready to make the step up. "We take a holistic view of the academy, pushing our players to excel," he explained.
Jack Wilshere has hailed Dowman's performances for the Under-18s (Arsenal FC via Getty Images)"Debut opportunities aren't handed out lightly, and Max has demonstrated over the past few months that he deserves this chance. There are others on the verge of stepping up as well.
"He handled the moment admirably, sending an important message to the team that when we introduce players, they possess the quality to contribute effectively."
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