JAKARTA - Martin Odegaard said he enjoyed the prospect of mentoring 15-year-old Max Dowman and Marli Salmon so they could shine in Arsenal's first team.
Both the Playmaker Dowman and the Salmon defenders impressed on the Gunners' pre-season tour to Asia. It is likely that they will play again in their last pre-season match against Tottenham Hotspur in Hong Kong on Thursday, July 31, 2025, WIB night.
Dowman created a winning moment as a substitute in Arsenal's win over Newcastle United.
His attacking abilities remind Odegaard, who became a sensation overnight when he was brought in from Stromsgotset to Real Madrid in 2015, when he was 16 years old.
Odegaard's loan period at Heerenveen, Vitesse, and Real Sociedad followed when his career stalled, but another loan period to Arsenal ended with a permanent move of 40 million euros in 2021.
At Emirates, Odegaard got his best form so he was in the spotlight. It was this experience of struggling from a young age that made the Norwegian player happy to guide Dowman and Salmon.
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"To be honest, I think the whole squad is very good at this to help the young players."
"They are both very young and have extraordinary quality. I'm just trying to share experiences, guide them in the right direction, helping them maintain the right mindset because you can see that their quality is clear."
"I'm just trying to help them have the right mindset and make them feel comfortable in the team, and let them shine and do their job."
"They are amazing on this tour and you can also see the quality. So yes, it will be very interesting to see it in the future," said Odegaard.
Meanwhile, Dowman became a player who immediately got the spotlight in his appearance against Newcastle as a substitute. His dangerous action forced the Magpies defense to stop with a foul that resulted in a penalty.
The penalty was successfully executed by Odegaard into a 3-2 winning goal.
After the match, Dowman was immediately eyeed by a big European club. The team that widely wants the services of the 15-year-old player is Real Madrid.
Spanish media even reported that Los Blancos were ready to make a big offer when Dowman was able to sign a professional contract for the next three years.
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