Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has played down the possibility of teenager Max Dowman stepping in to solve the club’s growing injury crisis in attack.
The Gunners have been hit by a series of injuries to key forwards, with Kai Havertz ruled out for the remainder of the season following a hamstring problem, while Gabriel Martinelli is also expected to spend time on the sidelines.
Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus are also unavailable, leaving Arsenal with limited attacking options as they continue their Premier League title challenge.
With the club’s senior forwards depleted, attention has turned to Arsenal’s academy players, including highly rated youngster Max Dowman. However, Arteta believes it would be difficult for the teenager to immediately step into the first team and fill the void left by the injured players.
Dowman was among the young players who trained with Arsenal during their warm-weather camp in Dubai, giving the coaching staff an opportunity to assess his development and expose him to the senior squad.
Arteta explained that there are age-related rules and restrictions that make it difficult to rely on young players in the same way as established first-team forwards, saying:
We had Max and several other young players with us in Dubai. It was a great opportunity to see them in our environment, but the rules and age restrictions make things difficult.
Arsenal now face a challenging period with their attacking depth severely reduced, placing greater responsibility on players such as Leandro Trossard, Raheem Sterling and Ethan Nwaneri.
