Arsenal news: Declan Rice says Max Dowman ‘best 15-year-old in the country’

Declan Rice has described Arsenal youngster Max Dowman as “the best 15-year-old in the country”.

A product of the Hale End academy, midfielder Dowman has already featured 12 times for the England under-17 side, has been training regularly with Mikel Arteta’s first team and was included on the club’s warm weather training camp to Dubai in January.

“I have had so many texts about Max recently,” Rice told BBC Radio 5 Live senior football reporter Ian Dennis.

“At 15, there is such a long way to go. You can be the best 15-year-old in the country, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you are going to be at 18.

“So, you need to be hungry, keep working and keep pushing. I speak to Max a lot and he has got such a good family around him. He is unreal.”

Downman will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly, who are both enjoying breakout seasons and have become regulars at senior level.

“I have a great relationship with all three of them, because Max gets to train with us quite a lot,” Rice added.

“I have kind of taken these three under my wing, because I have been in that position before and I had older players help me out.

“I get on well with all of them and they are really comfortable around me, which is all part of having a good relationship.”