According to journalist Chris Wheatley, Mikel Arteta is likely to include Charlie Patino in the Arsenal squad for the Carabao Cup tie against AFC Wimbledon to tackle interest from Barcelona.
The 17-year-old’s stellar performances for the club’s U-23 squad earned him a place in the first team’s training sessions. He was also involved in the friendly against Brentford last month and his impressive display in that fixture seems to have opened a pathway to the senior squad.
Barcelona have been linked with a move for the youngster, who supports the Catalan club due to his admiration for Andres Iniesta and Xavi.
However, Chris Wheatley claimed on his Youtube channel that Arsenal have no intention of selling him. To shrug off any approaches from other clubs and assert his stance on the midfielder’s future, Arteta is set to integrate him into the first team by including him in the squad for next week’s Carabao Cup clash.
The journalist also reports that the Gunners are readying a new contract for Patino when he turns 18 later this year. The club does not want to loan him out and they have already planned out the proceedings for his development.
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Hale End has been producing some fine talents for a long time now, and Patino seems to be the latest star to have emerged from the coveted academy. He is a left-footed player who likes to occupy a deep position in the midfield. His exceptional passing and dribbling abilities make him a perfect deep-lying playmaker.
The 17-year-old’s vision and awareness of the game are above his years. His defensive work rate is also impressive. He does not shy away from making tackles to break the opposition play and is more than willing to track back for his team.
Granit Xhaka and Mohamed Elneny will be unavailable for the Wimbledon clash due to suspension or injury. This presents a perfect opportunity for Mikel Arteta to rotate his squad and bring in some fresh legs. At this moment, the youngster deserves this chance more than anyone else.
Although Patino might only be on the bench, the experience of being involved in a matchday squad could boost his confidence ahead of signing a new contract this year. If the teenager continues to showcase his talents on the pitch, he is earmarked to become a regular starter for the club in the years to come.
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