Declan Rice sends promising 2-word message after training with 15-year-old Max Dowman during Arsenal pre-season

Arsenal superstar Declan Rice left a two-word message on Max Dowman's Instagram post after training with the youngster in Spain. The Gunners are away in La Manga for a training camp before they begin their pre-season friendlies.

On the roster for their tour is young Dowman, who has seemingly impressed the aforementioned England international. Sharing a picture of himself on Instagram, the attacking midfielder wrote:

"Back at it!"

Suggesting that his journey into senior football has commenced, Rice commented on the post:

"Starts now."

Dowman has certainly caught the eye of Gunners manager Mikel Arteta after he managed to contribute 19 goals and five assists in 23 matches for the youth sides last season. The Spanish tactician even suggested that the 15-year-old could be around the first team during pre-season and said (via Standard):

“I think Max, probably, will be in and around the pre-season. Obviously he’s got a very busy schedule as well in the summer, because he is in a tournament at the moment and he’s going to need some rest."

“And we will pick another few from the academy as well to be in and around the team and hopefully get a nice, beautiful surprise again.”

Arsenal have, in recent times, granted opportunities to some of their academy prospects to feature in first-team action. It will be interesting to see if Dowman can make his senior debut in the 2025/26 campaign.

Viktor Gyokeres refuses to train and wants Arsenal move- Reports

Sporting Lisbon striker Viktor Gyokeres has reportedly refused to train as he pushes for a move to Arsenal. The Sweden international has been linked with a move to the Emirates, but the parties have failed to agree on a fee as of yet.

Sporting do have a fair bit of negotiating power in this deal, with his contract expiring only in the summer of 2028. Providing an update about the situation, Fabrizio Romano said (via Pain in the Arsenal):

"Viktor Gyökeres deal remains ongoing with the two clubs maintaining their position on the transfer fee. No chance for Gyökeres to show up for training, he has already informed Sporting about that. Only Arsenal."

It will be very difficult for the Portuguese outfit to hold on to Gyokeres, particularly if he is extremely adamant on a move away from the club. To date, he's made 102 appearances across competitions for Sporting, bagging 97 goals and 28 assists.

About the author

Rahul has been a European football journalist for Sportskeeda since 2023. A B.B.A. L.L.B. graduate, he captained his university football team and also played for Boca Juniors Football School during his initial years, and also coached his university's girls team. He always aims to translate his tactical awareness, knowledge of the sport and first-hand experience into well-researched articles for his readers.

A follower of the beautiful game since 2014, Rahul is an avid Arsenal and a match-going Bengaluru FC fan. His favorite footballer is Mesut Ozil due to his love for nimble-footed playmakers, while his favorite manager is the legendary Arsene Wenger owing to the Frenchman's attractive style of football.

Rahul, whose favorite FIFA World Cup moment is Lionel Messi lifting the trophy in 2022, has interviewed grassroots expert Tom Byer in the past and gained insight into Japanese football. He also believes Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland can rule the footballing world and take Ronaldo and Messi's place.

When he is not writing, Rahul likes to spend his time playing football, following the Indian Super League and watching other sports. He is also a huge cricket fan and supports Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

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Edited by Rahul Naresh