Mikel Arteta comments sum up thoughts on Rio Ferdinand's request and 'joke' Arsenal ace

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta looks to have granted Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand's wish to see more academy prospects in the senior squad.

The Spanish boss has expressed his desire to continue nurturing the club's emerging talents after including two 15 year olds, the highly-rated Max Dowman and Marli Salmon, in Arsenal's pre-seasontouring party for Singapore and Hong Kong.

Arteta also successfully integrated Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly into the first-team setup last season with impressive results. The Arsenal boss is now keen to establish himself as a manager who provides young players with a genuine route to the starting eleven, rather than someone who depends exclusively on proven performers and expensive acquisitions.

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However, it's Dowman who has captured the attention of former England defender Ferdinand, following the teenager's pre-season showings against AC Milan and Newcastle. Ferdinand praised the 15-year-old prodigy as "the best in the world" in his age bracket and described the youngster's remarkable ability as "a joke" - evidence that Arteta's approach is delivering exceptional results.

Discussing Dowman's involvement this summer, Arteta reinforced his dedication to allowing young players to showcase their abilities at the elite level. He said: "We want to get as much talent as we possibly can from the academy and bring it up to the first team.

"This is a beautiful context for them to get involved. The way they adapt at that age, I could not do - but I think this generation goes faster. They are ready a little bit earlier."

"We don't have to rush. Make sure we manage the right steps and the right expectations for all of them, and then let's see what they demand."

Arsenal supporters are well aware of the exceptional talent that Dowman brings to the table, having followed his journey through the youth ranks. The left-footed attacking midfielder has been swiftly promoted to the first team, joining the senior squad's training sessions since the start of this year, reports the Mirror.

The England U17s standout made his mark on the right wing against Milan, scoring Arsenal's sixth penalty in a pre-arranged shootout. His performance level rose even higherin the match against Newcastle, helping Arsenal secure a 3-2 victory over their Premier League rivals.

Rio Ferdinand, speaking on , echoed Arteta's sentiment about giving promising young players opportunities. The ex-Manchester United player said: "There's a different energy about me when I'm talking about young players. Young players that get you off your seat. Who you watch and you just go, 'Ooh, give me some more of that'.

"I spoke about him in November by the way, Max Dowman, don't forget that name guys. Hale End at Arsenal have produced another young gem. Look, it's early days... He's definitely the best 15-year-old in the country, probably in Europe right now. Maybe the world.

"I keep seeing people saying, 'Don't overhype' - what are we in football for? We're here to be entertained, to get excited about young talent and appreciate it. I love it. I want to see the young players coming up. Go and see what this kid was doing in the FA Youth Cup game last year against Manchester United. He is a joke."

Arteta shared his enthusiasm earlier this year when discussing Dowman, unable to hide his thrill at the youngster's progress. "He's taking very fast steps because every time you give him a different challenge or put him at a different level he overcomes that quickly which is great," the Arsenal boss said.