Max Dowman at Luton!? Jack Wilshere jokes about transfer talks with Mikel Arteta as Arsenal draw up future plans for record-breaking 16-year-old wonderkid

Speaking to talkSPORT this week, Wilshere confirmed his interest in bringing Arsenal youngsters to Kenilworth Road. Appointed in October, the 34-year-old has overseen 43 matches for Luton Town, securing 22 wins and 10 draws across 218 days in charge. Having guided the Hatters to EFL Trophy glory and narrowly missing out on the promotion play-offs, Wilshere was asked if he would like to take either Dowman or Nwaneri on loan. He gave an emphatic response. “The answer to that is yes!” Wilshere said. “Whoever Mikel doesn’t want, I’ll just call him and ask him.”

Dowman has made 17 appearances this term, registering seven goals, but he truly made headlines in March. Aged 16 years and 73 days, he became the Premier League's youngest goalscorer in a 2-0 win against Everton, coming off the bench to assist Viktor Gyokeres before netting a historic solo strike. Arteta was amazed by the teenager. "It’s not only the goal he scored, he changed the game. Every time he got the ball. He made things happen and we looked more of a threat," Arteta noted. "To do that at this age in this context, with the pressure, the expectations to win the game, it’s just not normal."

Wilshere knows the Sobha Realty Training Centre well, having won 28 of his 60 matches in charge of the Under-18s between 2022 and 2024. While Dowman is the emerging name, Nwaneri remains a crucial prospect. The youngster made 23 appearances across all competitions this season, scoring three goals, including two during his Ligue 1 loan at Marseille. Wilshere believes the volatile French environment will serve him well. “Ethan is slightly more established and he wanted to go out on loan and get some football," Wilshere explained. "It didn’t quite work out for him but he would have learned so much about real live football."

With the World Cup likely to delay the return of senior internationals, the door is open for Dowman and Nwaneri to impress Arteta during the summer tour. Both players face a pivotal pre-season to earn their places before the first-team regulars make their respective comebacks to the training ground.