Max Dowman's three Arsenal mentors as Mikel Arteta plans next step for wonderkid

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard is one of three key figures guiding teenage prodigy Max Dowman in the first-team. The Norwegian's own swift ascent has enabled him to share the wisdom he gained early in his career.

Despite not yet having taken his GCSEs, 15-year-old Dowman has climbed through the ranks and made several appearances for the Gunners this season. His substitute cameo at Liverpool is one of several times he's come off the subs bench.

Arsenal are relying on senior players to help Dowman continue his rise, especially with so much attention on the young player. Odegaard himself was the focus of much of Europe as a teenager. He was only 15 when he debuted for Norway - five months later he signed for Real Madrid.

The Norwegian has spoken with Dowman about dealing with fame at such a young age and has assured him that his support is always available, according to The Evening Standard. Dowman's progression through the academy at his childhood club has also seen Bukayo Saka assist him, while Declan Rice has been a vocal supporter.

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Rice has publicly praised Dowman - declaring him as "the best 15-year-old in the country". He has taken Dowman under his wing, meaning the teenage sensation can rely on the former West Ham man, Odegaard and Saka; three of the club's biggest names.

Dowman's ability to balance his professional ambitions with his education has left Rice in awe, and he's been particularly impressed by his maturity. The England midfielder remarked: "I've never seen a 15-year-old so comfortable around the first-team. I said to Max on the way back from pre-season tour, I couldn't get my head around that he was going back to school."

Being part of the first-team squad at just 15 presents unique challenges for Dowman, including safeguarding issues which prevent him from using the same changing room as his senior teammates. However, Arteta has outlined how the club is managing the situation.

"We need to change his times, we need to change his education, probably his allocation and where he is with his family," Arteta explained. "His diet is different, his sleep patterns become different, the training load is different, the amount of information, pressure and exposure is different."

Arteta has proven his influence in the development of academy graduates, with players like Saka, Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly all flourishing under his guidance.

The Arsenal manager has drawn parallels between Dowman's situation and Saka's early days in the first-team. The winger often found himself targeted by opponents - and Arteta and his staff are now devising strategies to shield their latest teenage sensation, who finds himself in the spotlight and under scrutiny.