Arsenal is reportedly set to bid farewell to their promising midfielder, Charlie Patino, in the upcoming transfer window.
Patino, who made a memorable impact by scoring in his first senior match in December 2021, has been recognized as one of the most promising products of the Arsenal academy in recent history.
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The young England under-21 player has drawn favorable comparisons to football greats like Santi Cazorla and Cesc Fabregas, and some have even touted him as the ‘next Frenkie de Jong’.
After loan spells at Blackpool and Swansea, where his performances have largely been positive, it seems he hasn’t quite convinced Arsenal’s manager, Mikel Arteta.
Reports from the Evening Standard suggest that Arteta is open to the idea of selling Patino during the summer market.
Spanish clubs are keeping a keen eye on developments, as Patino’s Spanish citizenship could facilitate a smoother transfer process in the post-Brexit era, sidestepping some of the complications involved in acquiring young international talent.
Should Patino’s exit materialize, it would mark a notable reversal from Arteta’s earlier approach, who had pledged to “cook him slowly” following his initial goal in late 2021.
“A beautiful moment,” the Arsenal head coach said at the time. “He is a kid that is coming through our system, a lovely kid.
“He is training with us almost every week. It was a dream. As a debut to come here, to score in front of our fans, a really special moment. I think that is very positive [that the fans were singing his name]. They heard about him and know what he can become and now we have to cook him slowly. Today was a good start, I think.”
In a more recent statement, Arteta affirmed that Patino would be given the opportunity to earn his place in the first-team squad at the Emirates. His remarks indicated that he was attentively monitoring the young midfielder’s progress during his time at Swansea.
Speaking back in October, the Gunners manager told reporters: “There is always a pathway.
“When make decisions on those kind of players it is always to keep an eye on them and see if we can evolve the squad in a way. The first thing we do is look at what we have internally.”
Ethan Nwaneri, the 17-year-old prodigy who has already graced the Premier League with two appearances, has eclipsed Patino as the latest standout from Arsenal’s talent conveyor belt. This development has nudged Patino down the hierarchy at the Emirates.
