When it comes to top-level academies around England, it is hard to think of many that are outdoing Arsenal’s Hale End at the moment.

Carrington has its stars, and Cobham has produced an outrageous number of top-flight players, but when it comes to genuinely world-class talent, the North Londoners have it.

For example, Bukayo Saka has already hit that level, Ethan Nwaneri racked up double digits for goal involvements last season, and Myles Lewis-Skelly is now a regular starter for England.

Moreover, at just 15 years old, Max Dowman looks likely to become the youngest player in Champions League history this year, and as if that wasn’t enough, Hale End may already have the next Dowman coming through.

Dowman's rapid rise

While those in the know would have been aware of Dowman for some time, fans first began to hear talk of this wonderkid in the making around this time last season, when he was still just 14 years old.

The teenage prodigy had just become the youngest goalscorer in UEFA Youth League history, and by the time the club’s injury crisis hit its peak in February, there was talk of making a special request for him to be allowed to be included in their Premier League squad.

It was probably a good thing that such a request was never made, though, as it allowed him to finish his stellar campaign with the youth sides, which saw him score 19 goals and provide five assists in just 23 appearances, totalling 1945 minutes.

Appearances

23

Minutes

1945′

Goals

19

Assists

5

Goal Involvements per Match

1.04

Minutes per Goal Involvement

81.04′

In other words, despite playing at age levels well beyond his own, the Chelmsford-born gem averaged 1.04 goal involvements per match, or one every 81.04 minutes, which helps to explain the clamour for him to play first-team football this year.

Unsurprisingly, he has not disappointed, winning a penalty at home to Leeds United on his Premier League debut and then being trusted to come off the bench at Anfield when the team were in need of a goal.

Overall, while some of the talk around the young Englishman might sound a little hyperbolic, he is undoubtedly one of the most exciting youngsters to come out of Hale End in years, which is really saying something when you consider the academy graduates already tearing it up in the first team.

Therefore, it’s more than a little exciting that the club might already have another Dowman-level talent on their hands in another 15-year-old prospect.

Arsenal's next Dowman

Arsenal are blessed with a number of promising youngsters in their academy set-up, but in this instance, the gem in question is Marli Salmon.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Now, for those of you who keep up to date with Hale End developments, you’ll know that, unlike Dowman, Salmon is primarily a centre-back, not an attacking midfielder or winger.

However, when we compare the two teenagers, we are not doing so based on their positions, but on the potential they possess and how those in the know perceive them.

For example, Hale End expert Will Balsam has not held back in his assessment of the player, describing him as the academy’s “best defensive prospect in recent memory” and the “perfect combination of freak physical attributes and technical composure.”

Respected analyst Ben Mattinson went even further, claiming that the teenager is a “top top prospect” and the “best CB Hale End has produced.”

It’s not just those on the outside that rate the young Englishman so highly, either, as even though he is still just 16 years old, the club have already moved him up to the U21s.

Moreover, while his fellow Hale Ender grabbed the headlines during pre-season, the promising defender was also given a chance to play for the first team.

He got 13 minutes of action against Newcastle United and 24 against AC Milan, and neither team scored a goal while he was on the pitch.

Ultimately, while Dowman is the talk of the town and looks like he could be a genuine world-beater, we might be talking about Salmon in the same way next season.