Should Arsenal send Max Dowman north of the border? Former England striker Emile Heskey thinks a loan to Celtic or Rangers could be exactly what the teenager needs, and his view, reported by The Herald and picked up in BBC Sport's Scottish gossip column, is that the Old Firm would speed up his development rather than slow it.
It is a talking point rather than a done deal. Nothing in the report suggests any club has made contact, and gossip is gossip. Still, the idea says a lot about how highly Dowman is rated and how carefully a club has to choose the next step for a player this young.
Why the name carries weight
Dowman was 15 when he first played for Arsenal's senior team. Jack Wilshere, the former Arsenal midfielder who coached him in the academy, told the BBC that Dowman was already playing in his under-18 side at 13, and that it took one game to see he was ready for it. Wilshere even called his own father after that first match to say he needed to come and watch the boy.
That kind of early verdict is rare, and it explains why Heskey is talking about Dowman at all. Heskey's suggestion is that a spell at Celtic or Rangers would give a player that young a different kind of education.
What else the Scottish gossip is saying
Heskey also revealed that Celtic courted him during Martin O'Neill's first spell as manager, according to the Glasgow Times. That adds a little personal weight to his opinion of the Old Firm.
The rest of the column is a mixed bag. St Johnstone boss Simo Valakari is urging forward Taylor Steven to aim for a jump from the Scotland under-21s to the senior squad, and Aberdeen's Connor Ronan has backed skipper Kevin Nisbet to finish the season with more than 20 goals. Kelechi Iheanacho, formerly of Celtic, scored for Nigeria in their friendly draw with Russia and has 11 goals in eight appearances for Bursaspor, The Herald reports. Tottenham and Hull City are reported to be interested in another former Celtic forward, Oh Hyeon-gyu, though Besiktas would only sell for what Fotospor describes as a very astronomical offer.
Would an Old Firm loan actually work?
Nobody can say yet, because nothing beyond Heskey's opinion has been reported. If he is right, a loan is the quicker route to development. If not, Dowman can keep learning at Arsenal, where he has already played senior football. The decision belongs to the club and the player, and for now it is one more name in the gossip pages.
Transfer context: Max Dowman, Arsenal teenager. Emile Heskey believes a loan to Celtic or Rangers could fast-track his development (The Herald, via BBC Sport gossip column, 7 October 2026). This is speculation; no approach has been reported. Wilshere comments from BBC Sport's The Football Interview.
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