When Max Dowman could leave Arsenal after Mikel Arteta confirms loan stance | OneFootball

Interest is building in Gunners sensation ahead of important birthday

It has been an eventful international break for Arsenal starlet Max Dowman.

The 16-year-old scored the only goal of the match for England Under-19s against the Republic of Ireland.

Dowman then came off the bench in the win over Norway, before he was shown a straight red card against the USA on Friday.

The teenager was given his marching orders for a reckless challenge in the second half.

Dowman has already made an impact for Arsenal this season, scoring twice when starring in the Carabao Cup win over Ipswich last month.

With Dowman continuing to take opportunities whenever they are given to him, the challenge of steering his development is only getting harder for Arsenal.

Unsurprisingly, a large number of clubs are said to be interested in taking Dowman on loan, including West Ham. That leaves Arsenal with plenty to consider.

Future superstar: Max Dowman has already established quite a reputation at Arsenal

When can Max Dowman go on loan?

As it stands, Dowman is not currently eligible to be sent out on loan.

The teenager is still too young and there was therefore no decision to make over his future in the summer.

That will change on his 17th birthday, when players are allowed to make loan moves away from their parent clubs.

Dowman will turn 17 on December 31. The transfer window then opens a day later, presenting Arsenal with their first opportunity to send him on loan if they want to.

What is Arsenal's stance?

Arsenal currently have no plans for Dowman to go out on loan.

The club have carefully overseen his development on and off the pitch for years and that support system around him is an important one.

He comes from a family of Arsenal fans and all parties are happy with the trajectory he is on.

Dowman is still incredibly young and so there is no immediate rush for him to be playing regular first-team football every week.

There is also the sense that nowhere would be better for Dowman's development than where he currently is.

Dowman trains with the Arsenal first team, learning from the likes of Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard. He also has a close relationship with Declan Rice.

Star of the show: Dowman dazzled in Arsenal’s recent Carabao Cup win over Ipswich

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Mikel Arteta trusts him, too. Dowman was brought on as a 15-year-old at Anfield last season and has already made seven Premier League appearances, as well as making his debut in the Champions League.

Arteta wants a deep squad with as many options as possible and Dowman is a key part of that. He will continue to get opportunities this season.

The international break has been a further reminder of that. Odegaard had an injury scare with his ankle, while Christos Tzolis has undergone a scan on his hamstring.

If Tzolis does face a spell out, Arsenal will be short of wingers. Noni Madueke could be required to be used more on the left and that would open up more chances for Dowman as deputy to Saka.

Arteta indicated that Arsenal could be open to a loan move in future, with Dowman's situation to be assessed ahead of every transfer window.

"We will evaluate every six months where we are and what is the best thing for him to do and then make the right decision," Arteta said last month.

"It depends on a lot of factors. What he needs, and what the team needs as well, the availability we have in the squad, the minutes that he is playing and the qualities of those minutes.

"We have to be open, but now the focus is to be here and to impact the team."

Arteta has also suggested that he does not think a 17-year-old is too young to go out on loan, having done so himself at that age to Paris Saint-Germain.

Constant evaluation: Mikel Arteta has not ruled out a future loan move for Dowman

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He has spoken positively about the impact a loan can have on a player off the pitch as well as on it.

When Ethan Nwaneri joined Marseille for the second half of last season, Arteta said he was keen for the teenager to be "thrown in with the sharks".

That loan move was not a success and highlighted the importance of choosing the right club for young players.

The decision to send Nwaneri - who has since joined Borussia Dortmund - on loan was also in response to a growing feeling that his path into the Arsenal first team was blocked and his development was stalling.

There is no sense of that with Dowman, who is contributing in a real way. It feels only a matter of time until he is pushing more senior players out of his way. He is right where Arsenal want him.