Arsenal’s prestigious Hale End academy has seen plenty of record-breakers over the years, with plenty of youngsters looking to join those ranks.
In the past, the likes of Jack Wilshere and Bukayo Saka have set the heights, only to be followed up by impressive up-and-coming stars such as Ethan Nwaneri and Max Dowman.
While the latter pair are still carving their route to first-team stardom, they are already being joined by other Arsenal academy stars.
The latest of which is one starlet with a bright future ahead, already helping set records in the under-21 ranks.
Marli Salmon joins Ethan Nwaneri and Max Dowman in Arsenal record books
Arsenal have an impressive record for producing youth stars who can go on to make an impression at the top level.
The latest of those looking to progress further is young defender Marli Salmon, who reached a huge milestone recently.
The 15-year-old made his debut for the under-21s, becoming just the third player in that year’s group to feature for the top youth team – with Nwaneri and Dowman the only two to get there before him.
Typically featuring as a centre-back, the defender is capable of playing as a right-back too – having already featured for the under-18s in the Premier League and the under-19s in the UEFA Youth League.
It remains to be seen whether much more under-21s involvement can be expected before the end of the season, though he certainly has a chance to impress.
The centre-back role typically takes time to progress, but his first moves through the youth sides could see him take it to the next level.
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What Mehmet Ali said about Marli Salmon’s under-21 debut
Salmon made his debut for the under-21s in their 2-1 win over Middlesbrough, which took the side up to tenth in the Premier League 2.
After making such a step up, under-21s head coach Mehmet Ali gave his thoughts on the display from the defender.
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He told the official Arsenal website: “Special mention to Marli (Salmon) as an u16 stepping up, he had mock exams on Tuesday, trained with us yesterday and performed like he did today which was great!”
It outlines just how quickly he has progressed to the level he is at, while the under-21s and under-18s squads adjust to the influx of players featuring at senior level through injuries or impressive development.
It remains to be seen what is next for Salmon, but he is now in an exclusive club in the youth ranks by being one of three to feature at under-21s at the age of 15.
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