Better than me! Jack Wilshere hails Arsenal sensation Max Dowman as Gunners wonderkid prepares for potential loan exit

Dowman has rapidly established himself as a premier talent within Arsenal's youth system. During a sensational breakout campaign last season, the teenager registered 13 first-team appearances and netted his first senior goal.

His progression has seen him rewrite the history books across multiple competitions. The youngster's extraordinary list of milestones already includes becoming the youngest Premier League winner, the youngest ever Champions League player, and Arsenal’s youngest all-time starter.

Building on that momentum, Dowman has started the current campaign in formidable form. He recently produced a starring performance against Ipswich Town in the Carabao Cup, scoring twice to underline his continued development in north London.

Wilshere, a fellow academy graduate who also broke through as a highly-touted teenager, quickly recognised Dowman's immense potential. The former England international fast-tracked the prospect into his youth setup three years ahead of schedule.

"Max played for my 18s team when he was 13," Wilshere told BBC Sport. "I remember calling my dad because I played for the 18s when I was 14. I was like, 'was 13 too young?'"

Any doubts were quickly erased once the youngster took to the pitch. Eager to share the discovery, Wilshere invited his father to witness the midfielder firsthand, resulting in a glowing verdict.

"In the first game we could clearly see that he was ready for it," Wilshere added. "And I remember calling my dad and saying, 'you need to come watch this kid'. My dad did, and my dad's very biased, as you could imagine. But even he said, 'he's better than you'."

While Dowman continues to thrive, Wilshere credits Mikel Arteta as a pivotal figure in shaping the club's wider footballing philosophy. The Gunners boss has aided Dowman's growth while profoundly impacting Wilshere's own transition into coaching.

"I got to see Mikel and how he coached and the influence he was having," the Luton Town head coach continued. "I would ask him questions, why he's doing certain things, and I started to fall in love with it and how he started to prepare training sessions. I'd get an opportunity to practice that with the 18s in the afternoon and it was something I wasn't that good at, and I felt uncomfortable at times."

Wilshere admitted that Arteta's meticulous approach forced him to rethink his own understanding of the game.

"I was influenced by Mikel, but then I had to learn how to teach. I had to learn how to get that across, how to plan a session and how to get the outcomes that you wanted," Wilshere added. "I played under some good coaches and was quite good at understanding what a coach wants, but I never dived into 'why is he asking me to do that?' Mikel really made that clear and I was lucky enough to have a relationship where I could say, 'well, why do you want that?' And he was open enough to share it with me."

With Dowman's stock continuing to rise, Arsenal's hierarchy are now weighing up the next phase of his career. The club are reportedly open to sanctioning a loan move to secure the prospect regular senior football.

Earning consistent minutes in a competitive first-team environment would provide the ultimate test for the 16-year-old. After conquering the youth ranks and impressing in domestic cup competitions, a temporary switch could prove crucial in preparing him for the rigours of weekly action under Arteta.