Arsenal has made headlines by including two 15-year-old prodigies, Max Dowman and Marli Salmon, in their squad for the upcoming Asia tour. This move underscores the club's dedication to developing young talent and integrating them into the senior team.

Max Dowman, an attacking midfielder, and Marli Salmon, a center-back, will join new signings Martin Zubimendi, Kepa Arrizabalaga, and Christian Norgaard as part of the 30-man traveling party. Despite the excitement surrounding these young players, the £48.5m signing Noni Madueke will not be part of the tour due to his recent involvement in the Club World Cup with Chelsea. Madueke is expected to rejoin the squad upon their return from Asia.

The Gunners are set to play two matches in Singapore against AC Milan on 23 July and Newcastle on 27 July, followed by a highly anticipated north London derby against Tottenham Hotspur in Hong Kong on 31 July.

Max Dowman, who turns 16 in December, has been training with the senior squad for some time and even accompanied the team to their winter training camp in January. Due to Premier League regulations, Dowman was unable to make his debut last season as he was part of the Arsenal Under-15 squad. However, he has been assigned the number 56 for the tour, with manager Mikel Arteta praising him as a "huge talent" and hinting at potential first-team opportunities this season.

Dowman's impressive stats from last season include 19 goals and five assists in 23 games across all competitions for Arsenal's youth teams. He also made history by becoming the youngest scorer in the European Under-17 Championship, netting a goal in England's victory over the Czech Republic in May.

This tour not only provides a platform for these young stars to showcase their skills but also highlights Arsenal's strategic focus on youth development and long-term planning.