For a first year scholar to have prominent involvement with the Arsenal first-team squad is hugely impressive, but to do so as a defender is even more commendable.
Last weekend, as Arsenal comfortably overcame Wigan in the FA Cup, Marli Salmon entered the fray for his third senior appearance aged just 16.
Salmon certainly didn’t look out of place and gained experience of playing at both centre-back and right-back on the senior stage.
With defenders often taking much longer to mature, many of the standout prospects that Arsenal produce at youth level are often midfielders or attackers.
Salmon, though, seems to be mature beyond his years, as shown by the fact that he was recently appointed as the new captain of Arsenal’s U21 side despite often being one of the youngest players in the team.
Although he inevitably still has some developing to do, Salmon’s reading of the game is of a very high standard, as is his composure in possession.
During the remainder of the campaign Salmon will be eager to take any further potential opportunities that he is afforded and he will be looking to maintain his run of featuring in each of Arsenal’s FA Cup ties this season when the Gunners face Mansfield away.
Salmon has been involved in the majority of Arsenal’s first-team training sessions recently and was selected as the extra man for the game against Wolves this week.
Given how well he has developed, a loan spell is a possibility for Salmon next season and it will be intriguing to see just how much progress he can make.
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Jeorge Bird is the author of www.arsenalyouth.wordpress.com Follow him on Twitter @jeorgebird