Meet Arsenal wonderkid Marli Salmon, 15, dubbed ‘next Saliba' and on senior tour to Singapore as meteoric rise continues
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EVERY Gooner is well aware of Max Dowman's frightening potential by now.
But they may be less clued up on the other 15-year-old wonderkid currently on Arsenal's tour of the Far East right now.
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Mikel Arteta has taken rising star Marli Salmon on Arsenal's Asia tour
Credit: Getty
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The defender is still only 15 years old
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He has already played for the Under-21s
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The teenager has been dubbed the 'next Saliba'
Credit: Getty
Marli Salmon is the ball-playing centre-back who Mikel Arteta has included in his 30-man contingent for pre-season in Asia.
The opportunity will see the teenager rub shoulders with his hero, William Saliba, and he may even get some minutes alongside the French powerhouse against AC Milan at 12.30pm on Wednesday.
Photographs show Gunners boss Arteta instructing Salmon during a training session at Singapore's National Stadium.
And the way Salmon is already taller than 5ft 9ins Arteta underlines his impressive physicality at such a tender age.
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The youngster joined Arsenal at Under-11 level and is being talked up as the most exciting defensive prospect emerging at Hale End in years.
Salmon, who turns 16 on August 29, has had a rapid rise in the last 12 months.
Having impressed for the Under-18s, the versatile defender made his first Emirates Stadium appearance in the FA Youth Cup against Manchester United.
He was fast-tracked to the Under-21s last term, playing five times at that level despite still being a schoolboy. Salmon has also featured twice in the Uefa youth league and has been called up to the England under-16s.
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Displaying a grace on the ball, running power and an excellent reading of the game, Arteta saw enough to take him on the Gunners' pre-tour camp to La Manga, Spain, and now to the Far East.
Salmon, who recently signed a two-year scholarship with the North Londoners, is aware of the similarities between his own game and that of Arteta's best technical central defender.
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The youngster said: 'I look up to William Saliba, he's a good player.
"There are a lot of attributes that match up with me so I look up to him.'
Salmon is one of eight current Arsenal academy players in Arteta's Asian selection, with creative starlet Dowman the pick of the bunch.
Others include recently-converted forward Andre Annous, 17, speedy winger Ismeal Kabia, 19, versatile full-back Josh Nichols, 18, box-to-box midfielder Louie Copley, 18, plus 19-year-old goalkeepers Tommy Setford and Alexei Rojas.
Setford made a shock first-team debut against Preston in the Carabao Cup in October, keeping a clean sheet.
Arsenal's pre-season fixtures
Here are all of Arsenal's pre-season games before the return of the Premier League... Arsenal vs AC Milan, Singapore (July 23, 12.30pm) Arsenal vs Newcastle, Singapore (July 27, 12.30pm) Arsenal vs Tottenham Hotspur, Hong Kong (July 31, 12.30pm) Arsenal vs Villarreal, Emirates Stadium (August 6, 6pm) Arsenal vs Athletic Bilbao, Emirates Stadium (August 9, 5pm)
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Marli Salmon plays for Arsenal U18 v Crystal Palace
Credit: Getty
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Arsenal wonderkid Marli Salmon models his game on William Saliba
Credit: Getty
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Max Downan has also been training with the first team squad
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Alan Smith believes the youngsters will benefit from the Asia Tour
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But it is 15-year-old, 'Magic Max' Dowman who is generating the most buzz from his electric performances in the youth teams and a competitive first-team debut this term not only seems realistic, but expected.
Former Arsenal striker Alan Smith, who netted 115 goals in eight seasons at the club in the late 1980s and early 1990s, winning two league titles, reckons Salmon and Dowman being on tour will prove invaluable to their development.
Speaking to The Sun in association with William Hill, Smith said: 'For both youngsters, it's excellent experience to go on tour, it's amazing for them both to spend time with the first team, to train with them and learn from them.
'It's a good move from Mikel to take them both on tour. They will get massive exposure of what it's like to be with the first team for a significant period during the Asia tour.
'However, they are very unlikely to have game-time this season and Max especially is too young, he needs to be managed well, like Saka, Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly.
'Max has been in the headlines for some of his performances for the younger age groups and he will gain huge experience being with the squad.
'Arsenal must be careful with Max, but you have to trust Mikel Arteta to know when to put him in. You also have to be wary of fan expectation as he is very young, but obviously he has massive potential.'
Salmon was also snapped vying for a ball with fellow Gunners youth product Ethan Nwaneri out in Singapore.
It followed Nwaneri's younger brother Emerson turning out in Arsenal Under-18s' 2-0 defeat to the Dover Athletic first team on Saturday.
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