Marli Salmon made his Arsenal debut on Wednesday night, helping the Gunners to a Champions League win and a clean sheet away to Club Brugge.
With Gabriel Magalhaes, William Saliba, Cristhian Mosquera, and Jurrien Timber all absent from Wednesday’s Arsenal squad to face Club Brugge, Mikel Arteta called up 16-year-old defender Marli Salmon to the first-team squad.
Given the high-profile nature of the game and the fact Salmon was yet to even make his debut for Arsenal, Arteta opted against starting the youngster. Christian Norgaard played out of position at centre-back instead.
But with Arsenal leading 3-0 in the second half, the Gunners boss introduced Salmon as a substitute for Ben White. Salmon generally plays at centre-back for the academy, but it wasn’t the first time he’s been used as a right-back.
Salmon’s introduction made him Arsenal’s fourth-youngest player ever to appear for the first team, only behind Ethan Nwaneri, Max Dowman, and Jack Porter. Though the youngster didn’t have too much to do, he’ll be pleased to have helped his team to a clean sheet.
“We had to really consider it because we were playing a really good side that had some really good results in the Champions League at home as well, but we knew that at some point we had to use him,” Arteta said of Salmon’s debut.
“So, he was ready, he was prepared, he can play as a centre-back or as a full-back and I’m delighted. He’s so young, 16 still, and he’s playing in the Champions League. So yeah, what a great night for him as well.”
OptaJoe report that only three players have ever played for an English club in the Champions League whilst aged 16 or younger, and Salmon is part of that trio.
The other two are Jack Wilshere and Max Dowman, so it’s an all-Arsenal affair.
There’s obviously a lot of belief in Salmon, just as there was in Wilshere, and just as there is in Dowman. Fellow Arsenal academy prospect Josh Nichols joked on Instagram after the game that Salmon even reminds him of Saliba, commenting: “Young Willooo”
There’s a long way to go before Salmon can think about having a nailed-on spot in the team like Saliba has, but Wednesday night was another milestone in his promising young career.