'He Reminds Me of Yamal': Merino Raves About Arsenal Teenage Sensation Dowman After Ipswich Brace

Arsenal may have uncovered their very own Lamine Yamal — and the comparison comes from a teammate who knows exactly what world-class talent looks like. Mikel Merino has revealed that 16-year-old Max Dowman reminds him of Barcelona's teenage phenomenon, after the Arsenal academy graduate announced himself with a decisive brace in the Gunners' 4-2 Carabao Cup victory over Ipswich Town at Portman Road on Tuesday. Making his first appearance of the season, Dowman produced finishes of genuine class — twice — to ease Arsenal into the last 16 of the competition and ignite excitement around a player many inside the club believe could be truly special. 'They are very similar,' Merino said, per Guardian Football. 'He is a big talent and we have to take care of him.' The verdict from the Spain international carries considerable weight. Merino spent the best part of a decade in La Liga before moving to the Premier League and has watched Yamal's meteoric rise from close quarters — a rise that peaked with a starring role at Euro 2024, where the then-16-year-old became the youngest player ever to appear at a European Championship. For Mikel Arteta, the challenge now is shielding his prodigy from the suffocating weight of expectation. The Arsenal manager has handed Dowman a host of opportunities at senior level, but he admitted after the Ipswich win that containing the hype around the England youth international is far from straightforward. It is a delicate balancing act Barcelona know all too well. Yamal was managed with extraordinary care at Camp Nou — his minutes measured, his exposure controlled — until he was ready to carry a nation on his shoulders. Arsenal appear intent on following a similar path with their own jewel. The parallels will not be lost on England supporters either, with the World Cup 2026 looming large on the horizon. Yamal will arrive in North America next summer as arguably the planet's most electrifying young player, central to Spain's bid for global domination. Dowman, meanwhile, represents exactly the kind of fearless, homegrown creativity the Three Lions hope can light up the tournament — even if a seat on the plane to the World Cup remains a long shot at this stage of his fledgling career. For now, the teenager's brief is simpler: keep developing, keep delivering when chances come, and keep justifying a comparison that would burden most players twice his age. On Tuesday night at Portman Road, he did precisely that — and English football is already dreaming of what comes next. This article is based on original reporting by Guardian Football.