Charlie Patino the next youngster to be fast-tracked into Arsenal first team (Plus video)

I read a lot of comments on Just Arsenal saying that Mikel Arteta has no interest in promoting young players into the Arsenal first team, but that seems to fly in the face of reason for me. Bukayo Saka has shot to stardom in the last 12 months and Emile Smith-Rowe has also been a revelation dince his debut against Chelsea last Boxing Day.

The boss also convinced Folarin Balogun and Athur Okonkwo to sign new contracts and have been promoted to the first team squad as well, and the fact that not one of Arteta’s incoming transfers were over 23 tells me that Arteta is definitely putting his faith into young players.

It looks like the next star to be coming through is going to be Charlie Patino, who has been making the headlines with a wonder goal against Man United U23s last week. Despite only being 17 he was named as captain against Swindow last week as well.

According to Charles Watts, the Arsenal expert, Patino is very highly regarded by Arteta, and expects the boss to give the youngster his debut in one of our cup games this campaign.

“There might be a chance in a couple of weeks’ time whenever the Wimbledon game is, I wouldn’t be surprised if we see Patino on the bench for that one, given the way he’s started the season. I’m sure you’ve probably all seen the goal against United’s U23s on Saturday, lovely goal that sitting down Phil Jones and Dean Henderson on way to scoring that goal

“Look, Patino is very, very highly rated at Arsenal, Mikel Arteta really likes him. That’s why he’s been inviting him to train with the first team more and more. As far as I’m aware the plan for Patino at the moment it does not involve a loan, it is more of a straight into the first team. They think that by keeping him around, training around the first team he’ll learn more from that. The players really like him they’ve been impressed by him, the first-teamers, so you know it could be sooner rather than later.”

With starlets like Miguel Azeez, Danial Ballard and Tyreece John-Jules doing good things out on loan, it must mean a lot that Arteta has decided to keep Patino under his wing for the moment.

Well, have a look at this video of Patino’s skills from last season, and see if you agree he could be the next Young Gunner to hit the big time…

Tags Charles Watts Charlie Patino

11 Comments

  1. Ad PAT I could not agree more with your view that MA IS giving our youth a very good chance to show their wares AND to be picked if good enough.

    The club IS so very clearly giving youth its head and rightly so too, IMO.

    I SHARE YOUR BEWILDERMENT AT THE ASTONISHING LACK OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THIS UNDOUBTED FACT BY SO MANY BLINKERED GOONERS.

    I also recognise the sensible difference between picking SOME young players and on the other hand fielding the entire youth team in Prem games, as some appear to want and stupidly so too.

  2. I omitted to say that Patino DOES look to be special, though I do not notice any out of the ordinary pace in his movement.

    However, his thinking DOES show he is ahead of the game, as all top players show.

    Contrast him to tortoise (in pace, thinking and action) XHAKA! Ugh!

    PS I humbly apologise for using the words “thinking” and “Xhaka” in the same sentence.

    GOD, HOW I WISH WE COULD GET THIS LUMP GONE FROM OUR CLUB!!! PREFERABLY THIS INSTANT!

      1. Not sure I’d wish to burden him or raise our hopes to THAT sublime Brady level just yet Grandad.

        Brady was an Arsenal all time great IMO and would easily make that position his own in my personal all time Arsenal team, at least since 1958- when I started coming.

        I would personally be looking for some evidence of special pace in PATINO before he would remind me of BRADY.

        PATINOS PACE OF MOVEMENT, IN THAT VIDEO, LOOKED NOTHING SPECIAL, I HONESTLY THOUGHT.

        Though I do agree Brady was not specially quick either. But Brady was SO outstanding in all else that it did not deter from his greatness.

        A huge step still for Patino, all the same, to be compared to Brady, though a lesser one to make our first eleven. He looks to have a very sweet left foot.

  3. So if Arteta is so keen on youth, why treat Daliba as he has done?
    The boy excelled at St Ettiene , had a stellar season at Nice, and is now starring in Marseille. Yet we have a novice who plays Kolasinac at CB.
    Yeah- trust the process.

    1. You may think I’m bonkers, Phil, but I think there is an element of mental immaturity that has seen Saliba go out on loan again. The fact that he wanted to go back to France on loan suggests this. Some say he’ll be getting CL football- which I agree is valuable, but I’d rather he had stayed in England and honed his skills and got settled here and ready and raring to go next season. It has been a terrible muddle

    2. If(and that’s a big if) Saliba and Guendouzi(I mentioned Guendouzi because that’s probably the next name you will mention) is not in Arteta’s plan, then I strongly believe you know it is not because of his age as there are plenty of youth players in our team.

      I think the Saliba dilemma has more to do with his attitude than his footballing ability

  4. SueP-bearing in mind Saliba is an Arsenal player, surely it was the Clubs (Arteta’s) decision on where and who he plays for. The boy would have got more experience on loan in this country. He would learn the culture, language, pace and intensity, even at a Chsmpionship club. You only have to look T how well Dan Bullard is doing to see the benefit, yet we send him back to France. Snd if he is as good as he seems to be he would have been like a new signing in January when suspensions and injuries inevitably kick in. Very poor from Arteta in my opinion

    1. Not so Phil, as no manager can FORCE any player to play, even on loan, for a club he does not wish to. They are not slaves but free individuals with their own opinions and preferences.

      Personally, I agree with the rest of what you say but, ultimately, it is the players call himself to make.

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