Second Arsenal player withdraws from international duty after Declan Rice update
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta will not want to pick up anymore injuries during the international break
Arsenal youngster Marli Salmon has withdrawn from England U18s duty due to injury. The news follows confirmation that Declan Rice will not be part of the senior Three Lions squad for upcoming Nations League matches against Spain, Czechia (twice) and Croatia.
Salmon has played only 90 minutes for the Premier League champions so far this season despite impressing during pre-season.
The teenager caught the eye against Como and played 90 minutes in the recent 4-2 Carabao Cup win at Ipswich Town, slotting in at centre-back alongside both Gabriel Magalhaes and Ezri Konsa.
But now he won't play any minutes over the international break when England U18s face Colombia and Egypt in friendlies due to an unspecified issue.
Salmon was recently named on the bench for the Gunners as they successfully defeated Napoli 1-0 away from home in the Champions League.
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Meanwhile, midfielder Rice's workload is being managed following a hectic start to the campaign. Initially, it was thought Rice might be gently eased in this season following the World Cup where he suffered neural hamstring pain.
But Rice soon upped the pressure on Mikel Arteta to get him back amongst the fold and he was deemed ready to start the team's Premier League opener against Coventry City last month.
Since then he's been a mainstay in the side and is now believed to be suffering from fatigue after escaping a red card in the final stages of the defeat at Brighton following a clash with Malick Yalcouye.
Meanwhile, defender Piero Hincapie has not even been included in Ecuador's squad for upcoming friendlies against South Korea, Japan, New Zealand or Panama in Asia.
Arsenal defender Marli Salmon has pulled out of England's U18 squad(Image: Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
The left-back, who can also play as a centre-back, was sent off in the summer for covering his mouth as La Tri crashed out of the World Cup to co-hosts Mexico at the Estadio Azteca.
Hincapie has been nursing a groin issue in recent weeks and missed the EFL Cup win at Ipswich. He was back on the bench on Saturday at Brighton but was an unused substitute.
Fellow full-backs Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori have both reported for international duty with Holland and Italy even though they have previously been sent home from national team camps due to fitness problems.
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