With his brief outing against Leeds in August 2025, Max Dowman narrowly missed being Arsenal’s youngest debutant but became the second youngest player in Premier League history.

In order of age, the top 10 Arsenal players who made their Premier League debuts before turning 18 are listed here. They include some well-known figures who have made a significant impact on the club and beyond.

Football Planet claims that all ten of these players played for the Gunners in the Premier League before they were even eighteen.

10. Aaron Ramsey

Ramsey made his professional debut for Cardiff at the age of 16, and approximately 18 months later, he played his first minutes for Arsenal. Ramsey is one of the members of the “British core” who were brought in rather than nurtured from a young age in N7.

He made his first league appearance against Blackburn after making his debut against FC Twente in a Champions League play-off. At the end of the 2008–09 season, he made his first league start against Portsmouth.

Before joining Juventus in 2019, the Welshman overcame a major injury early in his Arsenal career to play more than 350 games in his 11 years there.

*9. Theo Walcott

Walcott’s ranking would have been far higher if he had made his debut in January 2006, the month he signed.

Although Sven-Goran Eriksson had no intention of doing the same on a global scale, Arsene Wenger chose to ease him in.

Despite having to wait until August 2006 to make his debut for the Gunners, seven months after moving to North London, Walcott ended up playing in just under 400 games across all competitions. He replaced Freddie Ljungberg.

8. Saka Bukayo
Saka made his Premier League debut on New Year’s Day of 2019 at the age of 17, following a few Europa League minutes under Unai Emery.
Since then, it’s reasonable to say he’s done fairly well.

7. McGowan, Gavin

If you’re not an Arsenal (or Luton Town) supporter, you’re unlikely to know anything about the first 90s debutant on this list.

During the first Premier League season, McGowan made two appearances as a 17-year-old. He started in a loss to Sheffield Wednesday and played 45 minutes in the final day’s North London Derby rematch.

Apart from that, it feels both exciting and alarming to think about Arsenal playing Spurs on the last day of the season.

The London native, regrettably, didn’t take off and only made seven Premier League appearances before moving to Luton, initially on loan and later permanently.

After a while in non-league, he retired in 2006 and started a new life in Croydon as a PE teacher.

6. Maitland-Niles, Ainsley

Maitland-Niles made his debut late in a 4-1 victory over Newcastle United in December 2014, replacing another double-barrelled player, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
The young player’s options were endless, especially since he had just played his first Champions League minutes in a victory at Galatasaray.

However, he became dissatisfied with his lack of midfield opportunities and left Arsenal on loan in 2021 to join Sam Allardyce’s relegation-bound West Brom. He later had periods at Roma and Southampton before his Arsenal contract ended.

Those England caps now seem like a very long time ago, although Maitland-Niles is currently playing for Lyon.

5. Fabregas Cesc

He made his cup debut in 2003 at the age of 16, and the following year, when the Invincibles defeated Everton 4-1 to start their title defense, he was thrown into the starting lineup.
The midfielder played in 212 league appearances before rejoining his childhood team, Barcelona, in 2011. When he was playing for Arsenal, he was amazing.

4. Gnabry, Serge

In 2012, Gnabry made his league debut and made his first appearance for the team in that absurd 7-5 League Cup victory over Reading.

When the German scored his first goal for Arsenal early in the next season, it appeared as though he might have a lengthy career with the team.

However, a terrible loan stint at West Brom put a stop to him, and in 2016, he made the permanent switch to the Bundesliga.

At Bayern Munich, he went on to become one of the best wingers in European football. Arsenal ought to have stuck with him.

3. Wilshere, Jack When Wilshere took Robin van Persie’s place against Blackburn in September 2008, he was only 16 years and 256 days old.

A nine-year-old Arsenal player, his final total of 197 games for the team is much more than most will be able to manage, yet considering his skill, it feels modest for him.

2. Dowman, Max

Dowman made his full Arsenal debut in the 64th minute of the team’s 5-0 victory over Leeds in 2025 after making an impression throughout preseason.

With his dribbling and injury-time penalty, the youthful player frightened the Leeds defense and was a thorn in the opposition’s side.

In his post-match interview, Mikel Arteta stated, “Because there is a kid here that has zero hesitation and is so convinced that at 15 he can go and deliver, which I have never witnessed in my life.”

“He adds emotion, joy, and something else that makes our jobs so amazing for us.”

1. When Ethan Nwaneri, at 15 years and 181 days old, came off the bench for Arsenal in September 2022, he became the youngest player in Premier League history.
Born in March 2007, the attacking midfielder from England became the first player under 16 to play in the Premier League.

Arteta is a huge admirer of Nwaneri, who has been a mainstay in the Arsenal first team squad for nearly three years.