Mikel Arteta given green light to unlock Arsenal's own Lamine Yamal during pre-season

Mikel Arteta has been told Arsenal have their very own Lamine Yamal

Arsenal wonderkid Max Dowman has been told he could be as good as Lamine Yamal. The Gunners teenager is the youngest ever player to win the Premier League aged just 16 and last campaign also became the youngest ever Premier League goalscorer with a superb solo strike against Everton in January.

The Hale Ender featured six times for the champions last season and looked a threat off the right wing when he was put on the pitch by Mikel Arteta. He also contributed an assist against Leeds United in the 5-0 win at Emirates Stadium and bigger things are surely on the horizon for the talented teen.

Freddy Adu, who made his debut for D.C. United aged just 14 more than 20 years ago, believes Dowman has all the attributes to be a success in north London. In fact, Adu even compared Dowman to Barcelona and Spain superstar Yamal.

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Speaking to football.london via the iGamingNuts Team, Adu said: "I do see the similarity between Dowman and Yamal. When you watch games, you see players and I see similarities with my game too, and you notice it. He's good. He's good at taking people on, he comes in and he creates chances. He's dangerous.

"That's the type of player you want out there. You want players like that, that are always dangerous, no matter where they are on the field. They constantly create a threat, that puts fear in defenders. Defenders can't really go up and do what they want to do, they've got to account for him all the time. Those are the type of players you want."

The former United States international added: "Dowman has got a way to go but, if he has the opportunity, I think he can become to England what Yamal is to Spain.

"Yamal, he's one of one right now. That kid's a really good player. The good thing about him playing in Spain and at Barcelona, they encourage it. They let him play, they don't try and take that away from him, they don't limit him. They just say, 'Go out there and be you', and that’s what takes your game to the next level.

"Myself for example, I was on certain teams where that wasn’t encouraged and they want you to play a certain way, and it takes away from your game because it doesn't allow you to be you."

With several of Arsenal's senior squad members expected to report late for pre-season due to the World Cup, Dowman is likely to get plenty of minutes before the start of the Premier League season against Coventry on Friday, August 21.

The Gunners will report for pre-season training in mid-July, football.london understands, with the first friendly against Girona scheduled for August 1. Further matches against Real Betis, Borussia Dortmund and Como 1907 will follow before the Community Shield against Manchester City on August 16.

Dowman will be handed a chance to impress Arteta and the Arsenal coaching staff in these matches and you wouldn't put it past the teenager to be one of the standout players ahead of the 2026/27 season.

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