Jack Wilshere reveals Arsenal hope to 'fast-track' 14-year-old with insane potential

Jack Wilshere revealed Arsenal are looking to "fast-track" 14-year-old Max Dowman into first-team contention.

Dowman, who most recently starred at under-18 level in a 5-2 win over Fulham, has earned huge praise from his coach, Wilshere.

After Dowman claimed four assists against the Cottagers, Wilshere admitted they were looking to fast-track the youngster.

Wilshere told the club media: "There's always a concern when fielding such a young player in these matches, but if you're good enough you're old enough. He can be more consistent but he's only 14 and hasn't even started his GCSEs yet.

"We need to find a balance of letting him play and enjoy the game because of his age but also trying to get as much work into him as we can. Hopefully, we can fast-track him and when he goes over to the first team he'll be more ready.

"I really enjoyed the performance. We had a blend of players spanning from under-14s to under-18s. It's always intriguing to see how they play together, how they fight together and today, I felt we witnessed that in abundance.

"It's reassuring to know that if I field an under-14 who isn't a regular in our training sessions, I can trust that they grasp our playing style and tactics. Today, they demonstrated that understanding flawlessly, which is a testament to the diligent work of all our coaches."

Dowman made his first appearance for Arsenal’s under-18s back in September when he was just 13.

Wilshere insisted at the time the midfielder was ready to make the step up.

"We take a holistic view of the academy, pushing our players to excel," he explained.

"Debut opportunities aren't handed out lightly, and Max has demonstrated over the past few months that he deserves this chance. There are others on the verge of stepping up as well.

"He handled the moment admirably, sending an important message to the team that when we introduce players, they possess the quality to contribute effectively."