Youth obsession in the Premier League? In England, football clubs are increasingly relying on younger players

Right at the start of the season, Max Dowman caused a stir in the Premier League – because of his age. The footballer made his debut for Arsenal FC at just 15 years and 235 days. This made the teenager the second-youngest player in the history of English top-flight football. Only his teammate Ethan Nwaneri was younger when he made his first appearance in the English top flight three years ago at 15 years and 181 days – also for Arsenal.

Dowman might have broken this age record last season, having already recommended himself for coach Mikel Arteta's first team during the 2025 winter training camp. However, an age restriction prevented him from playing in the second half of the season: By the deadline for the final season, August 31, 2024, Dowman had not yet turned 15 – which meant he was ineligible to play for the entire 2024/25 Premier League season.

Even without this record, the young Englishman is considered "the next big thing," as promising talents are called in the homeland of football. Dowman demonstrated his special skills in his first appearances: In his debut against Leeds United, he won a penalty in stoppage time, which Viktor Gyökeres converted to make it 5-0.

He also came on as a substitute in the top match against Liverpool FC (0-1). A recent recap of his debut for the England U19 team against Spain (3-3 draw) attracted considerable attention. The winger was almost unstoppable and was fouled ten times in the first half alone. Former Arsenal player Theo Walcott, who had once made his own early breakthrough, even said Dowman's movements reminded him of Lionel Messi. Like Messi, Dowman also becomes faster with the ball at his feet, Walcott said.

The hype surrounding Max Dowman is a prime example of a trend in the Premier League: clubs are increasingly relying on younger and younger players. The term "youth obsession" hardly seems an exaggeration to describe the phenomenon. This calendar year, in addition to Dowman, numerous other teenagers who are not yet of legal age made their professional debuts. For example, 17-year-olds Chido Obi and Harry Howell played for Manchester United and Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League, while Chelsea FC and Liverpool FC even fielded two 16-year-olds: Reggie Walsh played for Chelsea in the Conference League last season, and a few weeks ago Rio Ngumoha scored the winning goal for Liverpool against Newcastle United (3-2) – he is now the fourth youngest goalscorer in the Premier League.

While there have been similar examples in previous decades, they have never been so frequent. The development began in 2012, when then-league chairman Richard Scudamore persuaded clubs to implement the Premier League Elite Player Performance Plan – a development concept that provided for targeted investments in youth football. The focus on training players and coaches, as well as expanding infrastructure, was a direct response to the poor performance of the England national team at the time and was intended to help cultivate a new generation of homegrown talent. The results of these reforms are now clearly visible: the average age in the Premier League has fallen, both individually and as a team.

For the first time in two decades, all teenagers up to their 20th birthday made more than four hundred Premier League appearances last season. And the average age of the youngest starting lineups has also dropped by a remarkable two years since the 2016/17 season – from around 25 to 23. The increased confidence in youth is based on the ever-improving quality of talent. In the academies, young players are specifically prepared for professional football – like Dowman, who joined Arsenal at the age of five. At the same time, young players are often cheaper than veterans due to a lack of experience. Therefore, clubs strive to acquire the best talent early on and try to establish them in the professional ranks as early as possible.

However, the exact age at which a player plays his first professional match has rarely been a reliable indicator of a successful career. In the list of the twenty youngest Premier League debutants, only Wayne Rooney appears at number 20 – he later became a defining player of his generation . The crux of the matter: An early breakthrough almost always goes hand in hand with increasing public interest and rising expectations. Both can severely impair the personality development of young players.

The physical strain should not be underestimated either, especially since potential injuries can have a lasting impact on one's career. To manage Dowman's workload, Arsenal coach Arteta recently granted him a one-week break during preseason. The teenager hadn't had any opportunity to recover due to school commitments.

To date, there are few regulations in place to protect young players. The Premier League's safety protocols stipulate that players up to the age of 18 must change in separate rooms. They are only allowed into the team locker room for meetings. Beyond that, clubs are largely left to their own devices when it comes to managing their talent.

Arsenal FC has now named Dowman for their Champions League squad. Should he feature before his 16th birthday on the last day of this year, he would become the youngest player in the competition's history.