Marli Salmon, Arsenal's 'Baby Saliba': Club insiders reveal the rise of the next Gunners superstar, their calculated plan for him to crack Mikel Arteta's first team and how former striker turned mistakes into fuel to succeed

The ascent of ‘baby Saliba’ at Arsenal has been calculated, yet rapid.

For Marli Salmon, comparisons to William Saliba have already been drawn - while a path to the first team is already marked out for a 16-year-old centre back whom the north London club believe is their next young star after Max Dowman.

Salmon played against AC Milan and Newcastle over the summer on Arsenal’s pre-season tour of Asia, coming off the bench to replace his role model Saliba.

And then, on Wednesday night, he became the 925th player in Arsenal's history, in the Champions League Bruges cruise that all but sealed their place in the top eight of the league phase. Of those 925, only three have been younger than Salmon, and all are his contemporaries from an increasingly productive Hale End academy carousel - Ethan Nwaneri, Dowman and goalkeeper Jack Porter.

When Daily Mail Sport asked Mikel Arteta about the teenager’s debut after the match, he said: ‘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, but we knew that at some point we had to use him.

‘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.’

Mikel Arteta gave Marli Salmon his Arsenal debut in their 3-0 win over Club Bruges on Wednesday

Salmon came on in the 83rd minute. 'He was ready, he was prepared... what a great night for him,' said the Arsenal boss

It is why the excitement around Salmon, who when growing up wished to be a striker like Lionel Messi, is palpable. The defender’s ability to learn quickly, as well as a series of noticeable traits seen so far this season, such as his ball-carrying and reading of the game, has made the teenager a valued commodity.

So much so, Daily Mail Sport understands that the departure of Ayden Heaven, 19, to Manchester United in February was accepted internally because they knew what they had in Salmon.

A source told Daily Mail Sport : ‘On the ball he’s excellent, and physically for his age he’s strong.

‘Typically, you get chances as a centre back at first-team level later on as you then grow into an adult, but he could well be one of the players that breaks through and gets an early opportunity. He was outstanding against Bayern Munich’s Under 19s and put in some great tackles.’

Another source added: ‘He’s good in one-v-one scenarios and moves very well. The first-team coaches like him. He has a good jump on him. He’s nearly 6ft now, he’ll be at least 6ft 3in. It’s hard to break through as a centre back at Arsenal, but he’s doing well.’

It’s understood the Gunners are looking to nurture Salmon in a similar way as they did with Saliba, with a loan spell or two on the radar from next season before they fully incorporate him into the men’s squad.

After joining aged 18 in 2019, Saliba was sent on three loans - to Ligue 1 sides Saint-Etienne, Nice and Marseille - before returning to the club and becoming one of the finest centre backs in the world.

Arsenal, like most clubs, see the production of a young centre back as markedly different to an attacking prospect, because of the physical implications. A winger like Dowman, for example, isn’t exposed to the rigours of men’s football in terms of the physical demands a growing centre back faces.

Salmon has an ability to learn quickly, while his ball-carrying and reading of the game at his tender age make him stand out

Salmon gets to grips with striker Viktor Gyokeres in Arsenal training earlier this season

Despite the injury crisis Arsenal are currently suffering from at centre back, with Saliba, Gabriel, Cristhian Mosquera and Jurrien Timber all missing the trip to Bruges, defensive midfielder Christian Norgaard having to deputise there on Wednesday, and Riccardo Calafiori suspended for the weekend against Wolves, they will not rush Salmon.

A place at right back, though, where he came on against Bruges, is not being ruled out, depending on how he grows in the next couple of years. As Ben White, Calafiori and Timber can attest, versatility along the back line is something Arteta values hugely.

The son of ex-Walthamstow and Harlow Town player Marc, Salmon was scouted by Arsenal aged nine. At that stage, he was a keen striker with a different dream in mind.

The academy set-up, though, could see his potential in defence and swiftly changed his position.

His rise into a serious prospect began last season, having impressed academy staff enough to make his Under 21s debut aged just 15, against Middlesbrough on Valentine's Day this year.

And two weeks later his performance in the FA Youth Cup quarter-final defeat by Man United announced him on a larger stage. The game was held at the Emirates Stadium and clips of his defensive abilities went viral on social media.

Since then, Salmon's progress has accelerated. He joined the first team for their five-day pre-season preparation camp in La Manga, Spain in July, before heading to Asia with them.

He made the England Under 17s World Cup squad last month as an unused substitute and featured in their Euros qualifying campaign in October. For the Gunners, he plays above his age group for both the Under 21s, 19s and 18s.

Arsenal are more hesitant to throw young defenders like Salmon in at the deep end compared to attacking prospects such as Max Dowman

Salmon went on Arsenal's pre-season tour of Asia, testing himself against elite sides like AC Milan and Newcastle

His great opportunities thus far are not to say Salmon is close to the finished article; no young player is at that age. He has shown room for improvement during the UEFA Youth League competition - the Under 19s version of the Champions League - and has been found out of position on occasion, which then requires him to put in eye-catching last-ditch tackles that could have been avoided in the first place.

Plus, the journey of a young prospect is never certain. Injuries, bad luck and limited opportunities in a backline that can boast - when fit - so many established international stars, can derail even the best of talents. But an already impressive sign is Salmon's ability to bounce back.

Against Athletic Bilbao in September, for example, he was at fault in the build-up for an opposition goal. Josh Nichols, who was also on the bench in Bruges and made his debut last season, put in a last-ditch tackle, with the ball deflecting into the net, after Salmon was caught out of position.

Later, he was dispossessed as a player tackled him and then outpaced the defender to run clear, but Porter saved the attacker’s shot. Salmon was later substituted after frustration from the sidelines.

But when up against the likes of Bayern Munich and Olympiacos in the weeks after, he shone. He was even made captain in a side that featured first-teamer Dowman and players far older than them both, against Atletico Madrid. It reflected the standing he has in the academy.

Salmon benefits from good technical ability and reads the game well. His ball-carrying is impressive for a young defender. When faced with pressure, he doesn’t panic; he dribbles through the first line.

This was seen in multiple matches and is a feature of his game - and one which has earned him comparisons with Saliba. The Premier League has evolved to demand ball-playing centre backs - and Arsenal’s academy requires this, too.

When it comes to timing in duels, he rarely dives in. Salmon waits, reads, then snaps into tackles with sudden speed if he needs to. There were a number of times against Bayern Munich’s Under 19s last month where he would glide in out of nowhere to rob the ball off an attacker.

Salmon benefits from good technical ability - when faced with pressure, he doesn’t panic

The 16-year-old has a brilliant manager to learn from in Arteta - not to mention a host of fantastic fellow centre backs in the Gunners squad

His debut against Bruges could be the start of a long journey with the senior team. Arsenal see Salmon as a player with a high ceiling

Just as pertinently, he doesn’t rely solely on physicality, which can often happen with young defenders at academy level, only to be exposed at the senior level when they meet a more seasoned operator. He has a strong leap and competes well in the air, which is a given for any centre back with senior aspirations.

At this stage Arsenal view Salmon as a player with a high ceiling. He is not the biggest, yet, nor the fastest. But he has a number of defensive attributes which make him a promising future asset.

Though there does need to be some precaution. For a child that is still growing, playing centre back as a teenager against young men up to five years older requires care.

‘Look at his build. Why do you think he’s got an ankle injury?’ said a source after he missed an Under 21s match. There’s a risk here in overplaying him. His playing time with the Under 21s needs to be managed carefully because of the physical aspects.’

For now, Salmon remains a youngster learning arguably the hardest position on the pitch. But even at 16, the promise is clear.