Arsenal midfielder could be 'banned' from first-team dressing room next season due to rule Mikel Arteta once called "unbelievable"

Arsenal midfielder Max Dowman might not be allowed to enter the senior team's dressing room next season due to an FA rule for young players. The teenager is currently on the club's pre-season tour of Asia.

The Gunners have travelled with a 30-man team for pre-season games in Singapore and Hong Kong, with Dowman expected to see some minutes, as he has been training with the first team for a while.

However, the No. 56 won't be allowed in the dressing room, as FA rules stipulate that under-18 players are legally defined as children so they cannot change in the company of adults.

Arteta called this rule 'unbelievable' in February this year when Ethan Nwaneri wasn't allowed to change in the first-team dressing room:

"When you see those two (Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri) walking next to each other, talking to each other, there is a bond there and a chemistry there. I imagine for them it is special because at the moment they are still in different dressing rooms (at the training ground).

"Ethan cannot be in our dressing room still, which is unbelievable. He needs to get dressed somewhere else, even on match day. So to have somebody close to him that has that trust, that confidence, that link, I think it is lucky. They are very lucky to have each other."

Coming back to Dowman, having netted 19 times and providing five assists in 23 games across competitions for the youth team last season, he could be in line for his first-team debut this pre-season.

Arsenal squad for their pre-season tour of Asia

As mentioned above, Arsenal have announced a 30-man squad for their pre-season tour of Asia, which kicks off against AC Milan in Singapore later this month. The squad has some interesting inclusions and omissions.

While new signings Kepa Arrizabalaga, Martin Zubimendi and Christian Norgaard have made the squad, as has tMax Dowman and Ethan Nwaneri. However, the newly acquired Nodi Madueke isn't travelling after his extended 2024-25 season with Chelsea ended at the new-look FIFA Club World Cup.

Here's the entire Arsenal squad (as per GOAL) for their pre-season tour:

Goalkeepers: David Raya, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Tommy Setford and Alexei Rojas-Fedorushchenko

Defenders: William Saliba, Ben White, Gabriel Magalhaes, Jurrien Timber, Jakub Kiwior, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Riccardo Calafiori, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Josh Nichols and Marli Salmon

Midfielders: Martin Odegaard, Christian Norgaard, Mikel Merino, Sambi Lokonga, Martin Zubimendi, Declan Rice and Louie Copley

Forwards: Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard, Ethan Nwaneri, Reiss Nelson, Kai Havertz, Ismeal Kabia, Max Dowman and Andre Harriman-Annous

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Bhargav is a veteran sports journalist and editor at Sportskeeda, with a rich professional experience of 17 years, working for the likes of Siemens and Bombay Dyeing. An avid football and tennis follower for over three decades, Bhargav uses his vast knowledge and experience, attention to detail, an unbiased yet interesting writing style, and thorough research to craft insightful articles, which have raked in over 20 million reads so far.

Bhargav supports Italy at national level, a team steeped in tradition and history according to him. He still harbors the heartbreak from the Azzurri’s 1994 FIFA World Cup final defeat against Brazil, and protagonist-turned-antagonist from the game, ‘Divine Ponytail’ Roberto Baggio is his all-time favorite player. His favorite manager is Marcelo Lippi, who ended Italy’s 24-year wait for the World Cup trophy, winning it in 2006.

Outside Europe’s top five leagues, he follows the MLS following Lionel Messi’s move in 2023 but favors Cristiano Ronaldo in the G.O.A.T. debate. During his free time, Bhargav enjoys driving off to new places and singing.

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