Arsenal’s Marli Salmon will become eligible for a loan move later this month, but the Gunners are planning to hold onto him until at least January.
16-year-old Arsenal defender Marli Salmon is currently ineligible for a loan move, due to his age, but that will change on his 17th birthday later this month.
Yet James McNicholas reports for The Athletic that Arsenal plan to keep Salmon at the club until at least January.
The report adds that if Arsenal succeed in signing an experienced defender, the picture could change. But as it stands, the Gunners don’t intend to let the young centre-back leave.
Salmon has done well in pre-season so far, helping to fill the gap left by the injured William Saliba.
Cristhian Mosquera is the primary backup to Saliba, and he’s likely to be in the lineup for the Community Shield and the start of the Premier League season. But Salmon has enable Mikel Arteta to share the minutes around a bit, and the teenager has taken his chances so far.
Salmon made a particularly good recovery tackle in the match against Borussia Dortmund at the weekend, and he showed his usual confidence in possession.
Salmon already made his competitive first-team debut for Arsenal last season, making four appearances in all competitions. For now, it looks like Saliba’s absence may give him an even bigger role in 2026/27.
But if Arsenal make another signing, Salmon would likely find himself back on the fringes. Which is not an unexpected place for a 16-year-old centre-back to be.
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