Max Dowman, Roony Bardghji and four big winners from the weekend friendlies

Robin Bairner

• 27 Jul 2025 20:00 BST
• 5 min read

Analysis

With August just around the corner, Europe’s biggest teams are all flexing their muscles in pre-season friendly matches.

A variety of players have caught the eye already across Europe, from young stars breaking through to new signings and big names who might yet be on the move.

Here are four players who have hit the headlines across the weekend thanks to their performances, earmarking themselves as ones to watch in the season ahead in the process.

Max Dowman – Arsenal

Aged 15 – yes, 15, that’s not a typo – the Arsenal attacking midfielder already looks capable of stepping up and playing a role for Mikel Arteta’s first team this season.

He was given half an hour to shine in a 3-2 win against Newcastle United and did so with aplomb. In his cameo, he was the most fouled player in the match, won 75% of his ground duels, had a couple of shots on target and won the penalty that saw the Gunners preserve their perfect start to pre-season.

It was a thrilling performance and further indication that those are the Emirates who have been raving for years about Dowman’s potential are right.

Roony Bardghji – Barcelona

Barcelona made the long trip to Japan to record a 3-1 victory over Vissel Kobe in a match that was dominated by a number of debuts, including that of Marcus Rashford.

But the England international was pushed into the shade by Bardghji, with the wonderkid netting a brilliant goal and showing the type of attacking qualities that made the Blaugrana spent just €2.5m on him. It could well prove a bargain.

Let’s not sleep on 17-year-old Dro, who is the latest graduate from La Masia. He scored a goal on his debut and looks the latest big prospect at Camp Nou.

Rafael Leao – AC Milan

For so long, Portugal winger Rafael Leao has been a player tipped for a huge move that has never quite come.

Likened to Thierry Henry, the former Lille player shone against Liverpool in friendly action on Saturday.

He left Virgil van Dijk rooted to the spot as he fired home a spectacular opener for the Rossoneri and then created their second for Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

Milan won’t want to lose the 26-year-old, but this was an eye-catching display and any club needing a winger late in the window will have taken note. Arsenal and Liverpool, for instance, could be interested.

Evan Ferguson – Roma

It wasn’t so long ago that Evan Ferguson was earmarked as the next big thing in the Premier League as he battered home goals for Brighton and set about bullying experienced defenders.

Then it all went a bit wrong for him last season as he suffered injuries and failed to break back into the team.

It only took the Irishman 16 minutes to get on the scoresheet with his new side in their first public friendly of the summer, taking advantage of confusion in the defence to score.

After a confidence-sapping year, it was the ideal way for the 20-year-old to begin.

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