Marli Salmon was handed another sizeable opportunity against Como as Arsenal completed their preparations for the new campaign.
Marli Salmon’s involvement amongst the Arsenal first team is beginning to come clearer after Mikel Arteta offered his latest assessment of the youngster following their 1-1 draw with Como.
Salmon played 88 minutes at centre-back as the Gunners finished their pre-season schedule under the lights at the Emirates. It was a sizeable test for the 16-year-old, who has seen a heavy involvement in Arsenal’s pre-season due to the number of first-team players returning late from the World Cup.
Arteta wasn’t just impressed by Salmon’s performance against Como, but also by what he has seen of the Hale End prospect, who is due to sign his first professional contract with the club when he turns 17 at the end of August.
“First of all, the courage that he plays with and second, how fast he learns, because sometimes at that age, it takes weeks and months sometimes to develop certain things.”
“He picks things really quickly. He’s a really smart boy. He really wants it. He’s 16 years old and some of the individual actions that he’s done today. I think he was exceptional.”
Salmon's Route To The First Team
Salmon signed with Arsenal’s academy in 2019, at the age of nine, and has progressed through Hale End as a centre-back.
Salmon has become increasingly familiar with the first team over the last season.
The centre-back became Arsenal’s youngest player to make his first-team debut in European competition when he appeared against Club Brugge in the Champions League last December at 16 years and 103 days.
Salmon has frequently been amongst the first team, but what remains unknown is exactly how much football he is likely to see in an already competitive Premier League-winning squad.
Arteta acknowledged that the circumstances around his squad have created more opportunities for the defender than may otherwise have been available, but was quick to suggest player returning would mean he wouldn’t get his chance.
“That doesn’t mean that he wouldn’t get the chance to do so.”
Arteta went on to describe Salmon as “reliable” and said that when Arsenal need to use him, “he can do a job”.
The Opportunity Ahead Of Marli Salmon
Salmon does not need to be considered a regular starter at 16 for his pre-season to have changed his position within the squad. He has been repeatedly exposed to senior football over the last year, whether on the pitch or in training and has shown Arteta that he can be called upon when circumstances demand it.
The Como game offered another example and even more playing time, showing what he is capable of.
Arteta fielded Salmon alongside several of Arsenal’s younger players during the contest, with Theo Julienne and Max Dowman also involved as he looks to see who could be the next Hale End success story.
“He was really good. I mean it’s a big task to ask the boys at that age as well to play against a really good opponent especially when you put Marli together to Theo together with Ethan together with Max in the same side you know but I think with a level of difficulty they still perform and and have a good game.”
Salmon even had an opportunity to score, lifting an effort over after a second-half corner was headed back into his path.
Salmon, though, appears to have made his mark during pre-season. Moving beyond simply being an academy player invited to make up first-team numbers, he has shown Arteta he can be trusted when Arsenal need another defensive option.
At only 16, that represents considerable progress and a significant opportunity as the season approaches.