Arsenal may have to count on 16-year-old academy star Marli Salmon as their defensive injury crisis shows no signs of letting up.
The highly-rated teenager has impressed in the under-18s and has even been compared to first-team star William Saliba.
Salmon (left) could soon be called upon as Arsenal's defensive crisis worsens
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Salmon (left) could soon be called upon as Arsenal's defensive crisis worsensCredit: Getty
Salmon is no stranger to the senior squad having made his debut in last week’s 3-0 Champions League win at Club Brugge.
In doing so, he became the fourth-youngest player to feature for the Gunners, aged 16 years and 103 days old.
And his appearance is unlikely to be a flash in the pan with Arsenal lacking defensive options heading into the busy festive period.
Limited options
Boss Mikel Arteta is already without Ben White and Cristhian Mosquera until the new year with just Saliba and Jurrien Timber available on the right side of Arsenal’s defence.
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Arteta was forced to deploy midfielder Christian Norgaard as a makeshift centre-back in the win over Club Brugge.
But should the Spaniard prefer to line up with a natural right-sided defender in the coming weeks then Salmon is the next in line to fill in.
The teen star would also provide some much-needed versatility with his ability to operate at both centre-back and right-back.
The fixtures are coming thick and fast for the Premier League leaders with a trip to Everton on Saturday night before facing Crystal Palace in a Carabao Cup quarter-final tie on December 23.
The Gunners then face back-to-back home games against Brighton and Aston Villa before the turn of the year and then they have crunch clashes with Bournemouth and Liverpool to kick off 2026.
High hopes
Salmon, who has been a part of the Arsenal set-up since the age of ten, could be set to play an important role, should Arsenal’s injury woes deepen further.
Arteta has recently bedded in academy star Max Dowman and Salmon could be the next in line
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Arteta has recently bedded in academy star Max Dowman and Salmon could be the next in lineCredit: Getty
Originally a striker, Salmon penned scholarship terms in July and will be eligible to sign his first professional contract next August when he turns 17.
Arsenal are hoping the defender can reach his full potential in the years to come.
Arteta and his backroom team has kept close tabs on Salmon’s progress in the club’s academy and even rewarded the starlet by selecting him for the club’s pre-season Asia Tour, aged just 15.
He accompanied fellow teen sensation Max Dowman on the tour and featured in the friendly matches against AC Milan and Newcastle.
Salmon appears to have taken it all in his stride since the summer tour and admitted he is ready for another shot with the senior squad.
"I’ve played at every level from under-16s up to the first team and, funnily enough, I’ve found it gets easier the higher you go," Salmon said.
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Salmon was included in Arsenal's pre-season tour of Asia during the summer
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Salmon was included in Arsenal's pre-season tour of Asia during the summer
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta
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Will Arteta hand him a Premier League debut?Credit: Getty
"The quality around you naturally lifts your game, although the pace is much quicker and you have to adapt fast.
"I made big strides over the summer, but I know there’s a lot more to come."