Max Robert Dowman, born 31 December 2009, is a 16-year-old English footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Arsenal. Already a Premier League record-breaker, he currently earns just £350 per week on a scholarship contract, but a pre-signed professional deal will take his Max Dowman salary to £35,000 a week the moment he turns 17 in December 2026. Few teenagers in world football are rising quite this fast.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Max Dowman's salary is currently £350 per week under an academy scholarship contract, rising to £35,000 per week on his 17th birthday (31 December 2026).
- He made his Premier League debut on 23 August 2025, becoming the second-youngest player in PL history at 15 years and 235 days.
- At 16 years and 73 days, he became the youngest goalscorer in Premier League history, breaking a record held since 2005.
- His father, Robert "Rob" Dowman, and older brother, Ethan Dowman, manage his career after obtaining FIFA agent licences.
- Arsenal has been flooded with loan offers for Dowman in October 2026, with Mikel Arteta weighing his options.
Profile summary
Full name | Max Robert Dowman |
Date of birth | 31 December 2009 |
Age | 16 |
Place of birth | Chelmsford, Essex, England |
Nationality | English |
Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
Weight | ~73 kg |
Position | Attacking midfielder / winger |
Preferred foot | Left |
Current club | Arsenal |
Squad number | 56 |
How much does Max Dowman earn at Arsenal?
Source: Getty Images
Max Dowman's salary is modest by Premier League standards, for now. Dowman is still only on an academy scholarship contract, earning just £350 per week until he turns 17, at which point a pre-agreed professional deal kicks in at £35,000 per week.
He is currently on Arsenal's scholarship wages, reported to be £350 per week, under a contract that runs until June 2027.
There is a massive wage disparity between Arsenal's two youngest players. The 16-year-old Dowman earns roughly €21K annually, while the next youngest player, 20-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly, earns €2.7M, more than 125 times Dowman's current salary.
When will Max Dowman's professional contract begin?
Dowman has already signed a pre-contract at Arsenal, leading to his first professional deal, which will be signed on 31 December 2026 when he turns 17. According to reports, his salary with that first pro-contract will increase to £35,000 per week.
Arsenal confirmed the news on their official channels, announcing that Dowman has signed a pre-contract agreement that will lead to him signing professional terms when he turns 17 in December.
Is Max Dowman's dad a millionaire?
There is no verified evidence that Robert Dowman is a millionaire. Rob Dowman runs a successful insurance business, while Ethan brings a university economics background and industry experience.
Arsenal's 16-year-old starlet Max Dowman will be represented by father Rob and older brother Ethan after the pair secured agent licences, positioning the family to manage the teenager themselves rather than hand control to a major agency.
Max Dowman's net worth
Max Dowman's net worth stands at approximately $1 million as of 2026. His income sources currently include:
- His Arsenal scholarship wages (£350/week base)
- A signing bonus of approximately £104,000, bringing his total annual package to around £122,200, including bonuses
- Adidas sponsorship (listed on his Instagram bio)
- Standard youth appearance bonuses, while major endorsement deals remain absent
His net worth is expected to grow significantly once his £35,000-per-week professional contract begins in December 2026.
Max Dowman's career: from Hale End to Premier League history
Max Robert Dowman was born on 31 December 2009 in Chelmsford, Essex. He started playing organised football at local club Billericay Town before joining the Arsenal academy. Max joined Arsenal's academy at the age of eight and quickly broke records at youth level as he progressed through Hale End, making his under-18 debut aged just 13 and becoming the UEFA Youth League's youngest scorer at the age of 14.
He is also distantly related to George Male, who played for Arsenal on either side of the Second World War.
Can Max Dowman play for Arsenal's first team?
He already has. On 23 August 2025, Dowman made his Premier League debut, coming on as a substitute for Arsenal in the 64th minute of their match against Leeds United. At 15 years and 235 days, Dowman is the second-youngest player in both Arsenal and Premier League history.
Dowman, only the third player under the age of 16 to play in the Premier League, replaced Noni Madueke in the 64th minute and delivered an impressive cameo — showing why he is so highly thought of with one mazy run, two long-range efforts, and winning a penalty in stoppage time.
Becoming the youngest Premier League goalscorer
Dowman reached new heights when he became the youngest goalscorer in Premier League history at 16 years and 73 days old. The winger showed immense composure to run the length of the pitch and finish into an empty net during a 2-0 win over Everton, breaking a record held by James Vaughan since 2005.
Dowman is regarded as one of the brightest young prospects in world football and has slowly been integrated into the senior set-up at Emirates Stadium over the past 12 months, notably scoring a brace versus Ipswich Town in the Carabao Cup.
Max Dowman's stats and position
Dowman plays as an attacking midfielder or winger for Premier League club Arsenal, wearing the number 56 shirt. Versatile across forward roles, he scored 27 goals and provided 10 assists in 34 academy games across under-18 and under-21 levels.
At the international level, he has represented England at the U16, U17, and U19 levels, scoring 5 goals in 16 appearances for the U17s and 2 goals in 10 appearances for the U19s.
Is Max Dowman still at school?
Arsenal have been careful about managing expectations around the youngster, who had yet to sit his GCSEs when he made his debut in August 2025, and about protecting him from overexposure. Balancing elite-level football with his education is a priority the club takes seriously.
Latest news: loan offers flood in for Dowman
Source: Getty Images
Arsenal have reportedly been inundated with loan offers for 16-year-old wonderkid Max Dowman ahead of the upcoming winter transfer window.
Mikel Arteta has admitted that Dowman is "a joy to watch" amid rumours that he may leave Arsenal on loan during the upcoming January transfer window. The 16-year-old has only made one Premier League appearance so far this season, and it is understood that Arsenal could potentially sanction a loan deal.
We will evaluate every six months where we are and what is the best thing for him to do and then make the right decision.
David Seaman believes Dowman is "special" and can make England's Euro 2028 squad, while praising Arteta's careful handling of the 16-year-old's development.
In October 2026, Lionel Messi named Dowman among the ten future stars of world football.
Max Dowman's family: the father–son story behind the rise
Max Dowman's parents are Robert "Rob" and Caroline Dowman, who are actively involved in managing the 16-year-old Arsenal prodigy's career.
Rob Dowman has not shied away from defending his son in public. The father of the Arsenal starlet hit out at a former coach, Temisan Williams, a former under-12s assistant at Arsenal who now runs a coaching business, over claims that he had played a role in the teenager's rise.
Dowman signed a pre-contract with Arsenal in January 2026, which will roll into a professional deal when he turns 17 on 31 December. The legal groundwork has been handled by Onside Law, with the expectation that his father and brother will take on a bigger role in future negotiations.
FAQs
- How much does Max Dowman earn? He currently earns £350 per week on a scholarship contract, rising to £35,000 per week when he turns 17 on 31 December 2026.
- How old is Max Dowman? He is 16 years old, born on 31 December 2009 in Chelmsford, Essex.
- What position does Max Dowman play? He plays primarily as an attacking midfielder or right winger and is naturally left-footed.
- How tall is Max Dowman? He stands at 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m).
- Is Max Dowman still at school? When he made his debut in August 2025, Arsenal said he had yet to sit his GCSEs. The club still manages his workload carefully and protects him from overexposure.
- Can Max Dowman play for Arsenal? Yes. He made his Premier League debut on 23 August 2025 against Leeds United, becoming the second-youngest player in Premier League history at 15 years and 235 days.
- What is Max Dowman's net worth? His net worth is estimated at around $1 million as of 2026, primarily from his Arsenal contract, signing bonuses, and his Adidas kit deal.
- Is Max Dowman's dad a millionaire? There is no verified evidence of this. His father, Robert Dowman, runs an insurance business and has recently obtained a FIFA agent licence alongside Max's older brother Ethan.
We also highlighted facts about the world’s richest professional gamers, ranked by career tournament prize money, and explained how their earnings compare with their estimated net worth.
N0tail tops the list with $7.18 million in prize winnings after helping OG win The International twice. But the biggest overall fortune may belong to Faker, whose estimated wealth comes largely from salary, endorsements and investments—not tournament prizes.
Source: Legit.ng