Overview

• Dowman, aged 15 years and 235 days, came on against Leeds to become the Premier League’s second-youngest player and won a late penalty converted by Viktor Gyökeres.
• Club safeguarding includes changing separately from senior players, supervised travel, and a dedicated security staff member assigned to him on trips and matchdays.
• Declan Rice has been named as a mentor within the first-team setup as part of a structured support network for Dowman’s integration.
• FIFA rules mean he cannot sign a professional contract until 17, so he remains a scholar with limited earnings while balancing training with GCSE studies.
• Mikel Arteta says the debut followed months of monitoring how Dowman handled training and selection scenarios, as praise and comparisons from pundits fuel debate over his best position.