Mikel Arteta has insisted he is not concerned that rival clubs could poach Arsenal‘s teenage prodigy Max Dowman before he is old enough to sign a professional contract.
The 15-year-old last week agreed a scholarship deal that will take effect when he turns 16 on Dec. 31.
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FIFA rules state players cannot sign a pro contract until they turn 17, meaning the Gunners face an anxious wait to tie down a talent who has attracted interest from across Europe.
However, sources have told ESPN that lifelong Arsenal fan Dowman views his future at the club and Arteta played down the prospect of the playmaker moving elsewhere when speaking on Tuesday.
“I don’t think about those things because everything that I hear from the player and the family has been very positive,” he said.
“That’s what we all want [for him to stay long-term] and I think what he wants as well. After that it is more for [sporting director] Andrea [Berta] and the club.
“But the feeling that I have is that genuinely he loves it here. He is a huge Arsenal supporter and his family are really happy with the way things are developing around him as well. Hopefully for many years he will be with us.”
Dowman is expected to be in the matchday squad for Wednesday’s Carabao Cup fourth-round clash against Brighton. He was left out of Arsenal under-21s 2-1 defeat at Chelsea last weekend.
It would be the England youth team player’s fourth senior appearance as Arteta strikes the balance between protecting a young talent and giving deserved opportunities to a player who impressed in a string of cameos during the club’s preseason tour to Singapore and Hong Kong before winning a penalty on his Premier League debut against Leeds in August.
“If we looked at his passport every day we would never play him, simple as that,” said Arteta. “But when you look at what he does in training you have to play him — if not, you are blind, or I’m blind.
“So it is finding a balance, an understanding, especially the load, the things that are changing in his life, and make sure he can cope with that. So far he has done that.
“I am calm over it because what we have decided for him for the first few months is happening.
“When we have to give him games, whether it is in the youth cup or with the U23s or with us, he has that. He has a lot of exposure in training with us too.
“We really have to manage his load. He is 15 years old, still growing, a lot of things we have to make sure are under control to make sure he develops in the way he can do.”
