Theo Walcott has urged Arsenal starlet Max Dowman to reject a call-up to the England World Cup squad if it comes his way in the summer.

Dowman made his Gunners debut this season when he came off the bench in the 64th minute of their match against Leeds United in the Premier League, becoming the second youngest player in the league’s history at 15 years and 235 days, behind Ethan Nwaneri.

Mikel Arteta has been cautious about Dowman’s development and has used the Arsenalstarlet sparingly this season as they look to compete in all competitions.

Dowman climbed off the bench against Everton earlier this month to make his seventh appearance of the season and ended up putting the cross into the box for Arsenal’s opening goal before scoring their second.

That goal made him the youngest goalscorer in Premier Leagueand Arsenal history at 16 years and 73 days old.

His cameos have led to some calls for him to be included in the England squad for the World Cup in the summer and Thomas Tuchel didn’t rule out that happening.

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Tuchel said of Dowman last week: “I think he is at the moment competing and obviously a fantastic talent and an outstanding talent and at his age there cannot be a doubt about it.

“Everyone who tells me about Max praises him and is full of compliments about him. The reality at the moment is also that he competes for minutes, he is not a regular starter for Arsenal.

“He’s in a fantastic environment, the best possible environment. In a competitive and stable club. In a club where teamwork is the number one rule. He’s learning from the very best, in the very best environment.

“With these young guys, of course we know all these players. We see them as you do as well. At the moment I think he is in a good place to fight for his minutes at Arsenal. We always have the chance to call him, maybe, up for the World Cup.”

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But Walcott, who went to a World Cup as a young teenager for England, has warned the Arsenal starlet to turn down any chance of a call-up this summer.

Walcott told the Daily Mirror: “I hope he doesn’t go.

“I don’t mean it in a horrible way because if I could go back in time, I would change things. I would say to myself, ‘no, no, don’t do it’, but then try telling that to a 17-year-old.

“I do still see him and me differently as he’s playing in the Premier League but he needs to grow at his own pace, especially on the emotional side because he’s a young adult.

“I had to grow up very fast but this team is still young and not as experienced. He’s being protected, which is important, whereas I had to get thrown in to talk to you lot [the media].

“In time he will go, yes, but I don’t think this is the time and I think there are better players who arguably deserve to be there ahead of him.

“He will eventually get there but England have wide players doing really well, there’s Bukayo [Saka], [Noni] Madueke, Jarrod Bowen and Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes on the other side.”