24 Sept 2026 08:37 BST |
4 min read
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Arsenal have been told that they have a better solution for Mikel Arteta’s Max Dowman than sending him out on loan, which the young midfielder is already “too good” for.
Dowman finds himself on the fringes of the Gunners’ first team while rumours suggest there are a dozen clubs who have enquired about the possibility of taking him out on loan to give him regular football.
Arteta says the situation is constantly being evaluated, but the Spaniard has been told that the traditional solution of sending him to a lower-league club will simply not work in this case.
Renowned pundit Julien Laurens explained to Sky Sports: “The issue I’ve got with a loan for Max Dowman is that he’s already so good that going to Luton isn’t going to bring him anything. Okay, yeah, he’s going to play in a league that is tough, in League One, but it doesn’t really play football that suits him. Although Jack tries to play the right way, it’s difficult. The Championship would be the same.
“So what loan? Where do you send him? Do you send him abroad, to a club in Germany, maybe? Again, what kind of club? He’s probably too good for any club outside of Dortmund and Bayern. So that’s the dicey issue, because usually you send a kid to maybe get some experience—sure, send him on loan to toughen him up a bit. He still needs to improve and stuff like that. It would be good for him to play against that.
“But that’s not Max Dowman. Max Dowman is ready already. I think he could start for a lot of Premier League clubs. He’s that good.”
Why Arsenal should keep Dowman close
Laurens’ assessment is echoed by FootballTransfers’ analysis of the situation. While Luton was previously described as a ‘perfect’ loan move for Dowman, a switch to the League One side was not recommended by the study.
Instead, the best options were within the Premier League, including Aston Villa, Bournemouth and Coventry – deals that will not be possible until the January transfer window opens. Of this trio, the Sky Blues were the strongest option for the teenager, but playing in a losing team every week may not be the best environment for him to thrive in.
Ultimately, there was no club that emerged as a solid option, and in turn, this suggests that the best course of action would be to stay at Arsenal.
And Laurens believes that given a little time, this could also be the optimal situation for the Premier League champions.
He added: “I think he wants to play more. He also trusts the process and trusts Arteta and the club, and I think that’s right. But there will be a point when I think Arteta will know: ‘Okay, now I can play him more.’
“So now you can take Odegaard off in the 70th minute. That would be good for Odegaard – get some rest – and then Max can shine for 20 minutes in any Premier League game.”
Dowman has made two first-team appearances for Arsenal this season, starring against Ipswich in the Carabao Cup, when he netted two goals and created one more in a 4-2 victory that underscored his potential as one of the brightest talents in the Premier League.
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