Mikel Arteta has said Max Dowman will be involved with Arsenal ’s first team in the “near future” after hailing the youngster for his “big, big talent.”

Midfielder Dowman has been training regularly with the senior squad this season and went to Dubai for their mid-season training camp. But he has not yet been involved in the Premier League because rules state that players must be 15 or older at the beginning of the season. He did not turn 15 until December 31.

However that has not stopped Dowman from stealing the limelight in the underage set up - last September he became the UEFA Youth League’s youngest goalscorer, aged 14 years, eight months and 19 days.

And after Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly paved the way from the academy to first team this season, Arteta has high hopes that Dowman can follow in their footsteps next season.

“For the near future, yes,” he said. “Now he is involved in the squad. He trains with us a lot. Does that mean he will play in the Premier League many games? I don’t know; depends how good he is and how impressive he is and how much he offers the team like Ethan, like Myles, like any other player in the squad. Let’s see how this evolves but we certainly got a big, big talent there.