mikel arteta praised 15 year olds max dowman and marli salmon as incredible after both made appearances in arsenal’s 1 0 pre season victory over ac milan in singapore the teenagers who are still part of the club’s academy system featured in the match that also saw summer signings martin zubimendi christian norgaard and kepa arrizabalaga play their first games for the gunners the only goal of the match came from bukayo saka who finished a low cross from jakub kiwior arsenal controlled much of the game creating chances particularly from the right side with saka and ben white combining effectively throughout
ethan nwaneri playing centrally showed his class with moments of flair including a shot from the edge of the box that narrowly missed the target dowman came on as a forward and salmon as a defender both looked comfortable and composed against senior opposition arteta commented on their maturity and said it was a proud moment for the club and a reward for the work being done at the academy he said it was amazing to see 15 year olds competing at such a high level and praised the support culture within the team that allows young players to step up with confidence
arsenal had a strong representation of academy graduates with seven players featuring including saka nwaneri reiss nelson josh nichols myles lewis skelly and the 15 year old duo arteta said he was happy with all the kids and that the environment created within the club gives them the best opportunity to show their talent he added that while they are given opportunities they will have to continue earning their place dowman who has been mentioned before by arteta for his potential scored his penalty during the shootout salmon also stepped up but his attempt was one of four missed by arsenal
the match ended 1 0 but a penalty shootout followed as had been agreed regardless of the result in regulation time milan won the shootout 6 5 with kepa making three saves for arsenal but misses from odegaard nelson kiwior and salmon cost them the result in the shootout zubimendi merino dowman trossard and nichols converted their penalties arteta was encouraged by what he saw from his new signings and said that dowman and others are constantly around the first team now and learning the demands of top level football
norgaard was the only one of the new signings to start the match and he slotted into the midfield providing a stable base that allowed rice and nwaneri to play with more freedom he was disciplined and calm in possession giving arsenal control in the middle zubimendi came on in the second half and immediately showed his quality with smart distribution and control of tempo despite the heat and frequent substitutions affecting the rhythm of the game zubimendi still managed to stand out as a technically gifted midfielder with good vision
kepa who had very little to do in the 90 minutes came alive during the shootout saving three penalties from ac milan showcasing his experience and reflexes even though arsenal lost the shootout his performance there will be seen as a positive the game also gave fans a first look at how arteta might line up with his summer recruits noni madueke was not part of the squad after playing in the club world cup with chelsea he has been given two weeks rest before joining the team later in the summer window
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arsenal’s transfer activity has already reached 128 million this summer and could rise further with expected signings of cristhian mosquera and viktor gyokeres the focus on squad depth and youth integration appears to be a theme for arteta as he prepares for a long and challenging season ahead in both domestic and european competitions the pre season tour has not only offered valuable minutes to senior players but also a clear signal of intent regarding the future with academy players now firmly part of the conversation
fans will be especially excited about the sight of so many homegrown talents sharing the pitch together towards the end of the match dowman salmon nichols and lewis skelly all finished the game while nwaneri saka and nelson had already played significant minutes arteta’s philosophy of youth integration was again clear he said that the academy players are becoming familiar with the team dynamics and expectations and this exposure gives them a solid platform from which to grow but added that each of them will need to continue proving themselves in every opportunity they get
arsenal’s match in singapore not only delivered a win but also a glimpse into the future with two 15 year olds stepping confidently into the spotlight arteta’s leadership style continues to blend trust in youth with clear demands for performance and growth the club’s transfer strategy has brought in experience while maintaining the pipeline from its academy the result against milan will be remembered not just for the scoreline but for the moment two teenagers showed they belong on the big stage at one of europe’s top clubs
dowman already has buzz around him from previous mentions by arteta and his calm penalty under pressure only added to his reputation salmon too showed physical and tactical maturity despite his young age the pair’s debut moments came not in a training ground friendly but against ac milan in a stadium far from home under the lights with expectations on their shoulders arteta made it clear this was not a gift but something earned through hard work and readiness
this match now becomes a landmark not just for the two youngsters but for the club’s identity going forward a team that believes in its youth trusts its academy and isn’t afraid to give teenagers a stage on which to perform the fans in singapore witnessed a little bit of arsenal’s future unfold in real time while the immediate takeaway may be a preseason win over a top european rival the lasting memory is the confidence and clarity shown by two 15 year olds wearing arsenal shirts in front of thousands
with more preseason matches to come and the premier league campaign on the horizon the integration of new signings and young talent will continue to be central to arteta’s plans whether or not all the prospects make the first team regularly remains to be seen but for now they’ve taken an important first step and shown what’s possible when preparation meets opportunity arteta’s arsenal is growing not only in budget and ambition but in belief that the future may already be wearing the shirt today
