Arsenal handed fresh injury concern as defender withdraws from England squad
Arsenal defender Marli Salmon has withdrawn from the England Under-18 squad after suffering an injury setback.
The 17-year-old had been selected for England’s upcoming international fixtures after earning a promotion from the Under-17 age group, but he will no longer take part in the camp.
Chelsea youngster Gabriel Sambou has subsequently been drafted into the squad as Salmon’s replacement.
The precise nature and severity of Salmon’s injury have not yet been disclosed, leaving Arsenal waiting to discover how long the highly-rated defender could be unavailable.
The setback comes only days after Salmon made an encouraging appearance for Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta’s senior side in the Carabao Cup.
Salmon started alongside Gabriel Magalhaes in central defence as a much-changed Arsenal team recorded a 4-2 victory over Ipswich Town at Portman Road last Tuesday.
It represented another important step in the teenager’s development after his increasing involvement around Arteta’s first-team squad.
Salmon completed the match against Ipswich and received praise for the composure he displayed despite being tested by experienced Premier League opposition.
One particularly notable moment came when Gabriel offered encouragement to the youngster after Salmon slipped while attempting to deal with an Ipswich attack.
Arteta later highlighted the Brazilian’s reaction as an example of the leadership required to help Arsenal’s emerging players adjust to senior football.
Salmon had not featured for Arsenal Under-21s against Birmingham City on Friday after instead being involved in first-team training ahead of the Premier League trip to Brighton & Hove Albion.
He was subsequently absent from the matchday squad as Arsenal suffered their first defeat of the season with a 3-0 loss at the Amex Stadium.
His withdrawal from England duty now confirms that he is dealing with a fitness problem, although there has been no indication yet that the issue is serious.
The timing is nevertheless unfortunate for Salmon, whose senior opportunities have increased during the opening weeks of the campaign.
The centre-back was also the spare player in Arsenal’s squad for last season’s Carabao Cup final against Manchester City, demonstrating the faith Arteta and his staff already had in him.
His appearance at Ipswich further strengthened his position among the academy players closest to regular senior involvement.
Salmon will now remain away from England Under-18 duty, with Arsenal hoping the injury proves minor as the defender looks to build on his promising first-team breakthrough.
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