Arsenal wonderkid Max Dowman has revealed he was left starstruck by Gunners stars Declan Rice and William Saliba when he first trained alongside the first team. The 16-year-old announced himself to the Premier League in breathtaking style last weekend.

Having already become the youngest player ever to feature in the Champions League earlier this season at just 15, the teenager was brought off the bench against Everton in the second half. He burst the length of the pitch during a counter-attack before coollyslotting home in the 97th minute.

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That strike made himthe youngest ever Premier League goalscorer, aged 16 and 73 days, in what many believe will be a remarkable career. The youngster has come a long way since being left wide-eyed by two of Arsenal's many world-class stars.

When asked which players had impressed him most in July 2025, he said: "I'd say Saliba or Declan Rice. Just the way they played, how composed they were. How they carried themselves in training."

Whilst Dowman may have been in awe of Rice and Saliba, it seems the feeling is mutual. Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live last summer, Rice heaped praise on the young attacking midfielder when he was just 15.

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"I have had so many texts about Max recently," Rice said. "At 15, there is such a long way to go. You can be the best 15-year-old in the country, but it doesn't necessarily mean you are going to be at 18.

"So, you need to be hungry, keep working and keep pushing. I speak to Max a lot and he has got such a good family around him. He is unreal."

Speaking to TNT Sports late last year, Rice shared his astonishment at Dowman's age and the youngster's meteoric rise. "I said to Max on the way back from pre-season tour, I couldn't get my head around it that he was going back to school," Rice said.

"He FaceTimed the other day and he had his school uniform on, and I was like, 'Mate, you've just played in the Premier League a week ago, and now you're walking back through the school gates'.

"Even me as a 15-year-old, going into West Ham's first team dressing room, I would no way have been as confident as he was. I would've been quiet in the corner.

"Unless someone spoke to me, I wouldn't have spoken to them, whereas I feel like now, Max especially, he's just so confident in himself and his ability. The support network here is incredible and I've seen the academy - the way they work, it's insane."

Saliba has equally sung Dowman's praises following his stunning display against the Toffees. The centre-back said: "To be honest scoring for a player who is only 16 years old, who plays like this and comes onto the pitch and can change the game is amazing.

"He's a nice guy as well; he's humble and wants to improve every day. I'm so happy for him, I hope we can keep going together and winning like this."

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