Arsenal's Teen Sensation Max Dowman Faces Premier League Exit Threat

Arsenal have a brilliant academy (Image: David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Arsenal cannot sell Max Dowman to another Premier League club. However, they could still lose the player.

As set out through Premier League rules, Under-16 players do not undergo the same transfer process as is usual in the adult game. Instead of a transfer fee, the club from which an academy player leaves is instead entitled to a compensation package. This is much lower than the sort of money exchanged in the men's game for professional players.

That fee covers "training and development costs if they decline an offer of extended registration." League legislation explains: "Clubs are required to calculate compensation based upon an annual fixed fee which relates to the age group of the Academy player and the category of Academy the player was registered with.

"The full compensation formula can be found within the Premier League Youth Development Rules. Should the Club offer your child a Scholarship, and subsequently this is not accepted, if your child then register elsewhere compensation could be determined outside of the prescribed formula."

As such, if the player is persuaded to move, there is very little that the parent club can do to stop it. As long as the right process has been carried out, the steps involved are relatively straightforward.

In this process, agents are not permitted to approach players until January 1 in the year of their 16th birthday. That, for Dowman, was at the start of this year.

For Dowman, who has been linked with an exit this summer, the landscape is clear despite the noise. There have been claims that he had been discussed during talks with Chelsea over Noni Madueke, but the two players could not be involved in the same deal.

Academy players cannot sign a professional or scholarship contract (which is also limited to three years in order to protect them from exploitation) before their 16th birthday. That means that they also cannot be subjected to the same transfer pathway.

In a hypothetical scenario, Chelsea would not need Arsenal's permission to sign Dowman right now, they would just need to agree the compensation total. That can go to a tribunal.

The league's 'moving to another club' guidance is: "If your child has had a previous registration where compensation is owing to their former club, your child and the two Clubs may need to attend an exit interview to talk through the circumstances of their proposed move. This is a process that has been agreed by all Premier League Clubs and is intended to make sure that no rules have been broken in relation to the move.

"As part of the process, you, your child together with the Club that they wish to move to, will also need to sign a declaration that no approach has been made to you or your child prior to the relevant date, nor has any inducement been paid or offered to you or your child or anyone connected with you or your child to encourage them to move Academy.

"Following this process, you or your child may be asked to provide certain documents and/or other information to the Premier League to ensure that all Rules have been complied with. As an example, phone records and bank statements covering the last year may be requested.

"You and your child should be aware that this process can potentially take a few weeks and while it is ongoing, your child will not be able to train with or play for the new Club’s Academy. We appreciate that this can be inconvenient and can be a time of uncertainty, but it is an extremely important part of ensuring the integrity of the Academy system and the Premier League Rules. We will endeavour to ensure the process is completed as soon as possible."

The same is not applicable for Ethan Nwaneri. He signed his first professional contract in 2024 after his 17th birthday and so can be transferred in line with normal procedures.

Nwaneri is out of contract in just under 12 months with Arsenal keen to tie him down. Dowman is very much coming through in Nwaneri's shadow but the same rules do not yet apply due to his age.

The Premier League's academy parent hub explains: "If your child is happy to stay registered at the Club you do not need to do anything [at the end of the season]. The Club will notify the Premier League, and their registration will be retained for a further period, depending on their age.

"If your child chooses to decline the offer of an extended registration period, they must tell their Club and the League in writing by the first Saturday in June. After your child receives confirmation from the League, they will then be able to agree registration at another Club, depending on the rules relating to travel distance.

"If your child refuses an offer of retention and a new Club wishes to register your child, the new Club will have to pay money called compensation to your child’s previous Club. It’s also important to know that your child cannot be offered a professional contract until their U16 year or enter into one until they are 17 years old."

On scholarships, it adds: "A scholarship offer is a significant milestone in your child’s Academy journey. It means that the Club would like to offer them a registration extending after their Under 16 season. A Club may offer a young person a ‘Scholarship Agreement’ at the very earliest on or after 1st July between their Under 13 and Under 14 year, and at the latest by the 31 December in their Under 16 year."

Dowman, 15, is among the brightest young talents in England. He has been training with Mikel Arteta's senior side and contributing at Under-18 level despite his age.

Last season he even made his Premier League 2 debut, playing for the Arsenal Under-21 side in a single game. He was part of Adam Birchall's Under-18 group in the UEFA Youth League, as well.

Born on December 31, 2009, Dowman is extremely advanced in his development with a strong frame. It has seen him standout in the Under-18 Premier League, where he scored 15 times in as many games, assisting five more.

Operating in an attacking midfield role, but also from deeper at times, Dowman is already an England Under-17 international and has come through the schoolboy pathway. In May, he was part of the young Three Lions side that were knocked out of the Under-17 Euros, although he did score in a 4-2 win over Czech Republic.

In April, he scored 10 goals in four games, including hat-tricks in two out of three. His stunning end-of-season run extended to 14 goals and three assists in just seven appearances. Unfortunately for Dowman, he will have to wait if he is to match Nwaneri's record of playing in a Premier League match as a 15-year-old.

Nwaneri became the youngest ever player in the league's history in 2022 when he was a late substitute away at Brentford for Arsenal. Rules permit players from being used in senior football until the season of their 16th birthday.

Ethan Nwaneri dribbling with the ball under pressure from Reece James and Benoit Badiashile (Image: Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

For Dowman, that means he could, in theory, play under Arteta from September. The club are understandably being extremely careful around his professional, youth, and academic progress.

“Well, at the moment, with all the legislation, there are a lot restrictions for your age,” Arteta said earlier this year. “You know something that in other countries you don't even mention.

“So we'll have to wait and see. Already he is taking very fast steps, because every time we put him in a different challenge, different level, he overcomes that hill very quickly, which is great, we are on it.”

The head coach did admit that Dowman could be promoted sooner rather than later, although he would face serious competition. "I think we have a lot of players there [in midfield]," he said. "Mikel [Merino] can play there. Ethan Nwaneri, it's his main position. We have Max as well coming through."

Pushed further on Dowman, Arteta added: "For the near future, yeah. I think, let’s see how this evolves, but we certainly got a big, big talent there."

Dowman could, again, in theory, be taken on pre-season to Asia with the men's team. He was with Arteta and the players during the mid-season warm weather training camp in March.

Alongside fellow Hale End graduates Myles Lewis-Skelly, Nwaneri, and, not to mention, Bukayo Saka, Dowman was afforded great exposure to the senior setup. "I have a great relationship with all three of them, because Max gets to train with us quite a lot," Declan Rice said at the time.

"I have kind of taken these three under my wing, because I have been in that position before and I had older players help me out. I get on well with all of them and they are really comfortable around me, which is all part of having a good relationship."