Arsenal youngster Salah-Eddine Oulad M’Hand has had a roller-coaster few years, but his luck seems to be improving as he is finally finding his feet in North London.
Salah-Eddine, who is known as ‘Salah,’ arrived at Arsenal from Feyenoord in 2020 as a highly-rated young talent, but injuries have plagued his progress since.
However, he recently impressed in Arsenal’s pre-season tour in the USA, and is beginning to show his potential with the under-21 side.
Many were unaware of Salah before his inclusion in Mikel Arteta’s pre-season squad, but as the season progresses, he may end up becoming a rotational option. With this in mind, here is everything you need to know about the potential future star.
Who is Salah-Eddine Oulad M’Hand?
Salah is an attacking midfielder who joined from the Feyenoord academy in 2020 as a teenager. He was included in several matchday squads in the 2021-22 season, and was highly regarded within the club.
However, a failed loan move to Hull City disrupted his progress. He joined with an option to buy, but he arrived with an injury which he failed to recover from, before the loan was terminated months later without playing a single minute.
Salah then joined Dutch side Den Bosch, where he made 20 appearances and scored three goals. He returned to Arsenal, and was one of the most impressive performers out of several youngsters during pre-season.
Salah-Eddine Nationality
Salah was born in Den Bosch in the Netherlands, and is also of Moroccan descent. He has one cap for the Dutch under-17 side, and is eligible to play for them in the future.
What is Salah-Eddine’s position?
Salah is a central midfielder in the attacking mould, and has also played on both wings and even as a false nine on rare occasions.
The 21-year-old is right-footed, and offers a lot of technical ability on the ball, in addition to being mobile in possession.
Salah-Eddine’s family life
Salah has a younger brother, Ismail, who is also part of the Arsenal academy, with the pair even playing together against Boreham Wood in pre-season.
Unlike Salah, Ismail has featured for the Moroccan under-20 team, with Salah choosing the Netherlands instead.
Salah-Eddine’s career stats so far
Salah has senior experience under his belt, and is one of the older players within the academy, and this may make him more first-team ready than some of his peers.
Salah’s Arsenal Academy stats (under-18 or higher):
- Games: 27
- Goals: 6
- Assists: 4
Salah’s stats at Den Bosch:
- Games: 20
- Goals: 3
- Assists: 1
It remains to be seen if Salah will be given another chance in the first-team, but with his contract running out in the summer, he may not have long left to secure a future at the club.
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