Arsenal have confirmed that Charlie Patino will spend the year on loan at Swansea City.
The 19-year-old midfielder heads to south Wales to gain more experience of senior football having impressed in the Championship last season with Blackpool.
At one point, it looked like Patino, who has two Arsenal appearances to his name, might leave the club on a permanent deal but we’ve pulled back from that knowing he’s still under contract until 2025.
✍ 𝗖𝗿𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗼 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗼 🙌
Swansea City has completed the signing of midfielder Charlie Patino on a season-long loan, subject to international clearance.@JomaSportUK | @CharliePatino10
— Swansea City AFC (@SwansOfficial) August 11, 2023
In his first interview with his new club, Patino said: “I’m really excited and can’t wait to get started. Playing against Swansea City last year was a really tough challenge so I’m really looking forward to being part of it.
“Swansea are a really good team with the ball in and out of possession. It just made me want to be part of it this year. I think this is a good place to help me develop, and I just want to get the team in the best possible position this year.
“The facilities here are Premier League standard and I’m really looking forward to working here every day. I’m looking forward to seeing the manager and players, and get training.
“I developed a lot last season at Blackpool. When you’re coming from an academy, it’s a lot different from being in a first team environment. In a first team, you’re fighting for three points every week and games are always just around the corner and it’s Saturday, Tuesday most weeks.”
Best of luck, Charlie.
Can’t help but think what a great mentor he’ll have in Declan Rice next season. Good luck on loan Charlie.
I think, Rice – Patino mentorship will be much more effective once Charlie is ready for first team football at Arsenal. Sadly, there is no guarantee that he’ll ever reach the requirements to be involved in the current squad.
He’s a good player nonetheless, I remember watching him in the FA Youth Cup and he was the best player by miles. The question is can he have that same effect in the men’s game.
I guess that’s the lead lining of having an excellent squad, academy graduates who would have had a chance of establishing themselves in the first team previously now find it much harder
But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try to integrate them. I’d often rather we do so than spend £40m on a prospect from a weaker league who comes with no guarantee of fulfilling the requirements either.
With Elneny and Jorginho probably off next summer, Partey maybe, and Vieira and Smith-Rowe in the last chance saloon, there’ll be squad places opening up for midfielders next year
Why is Elneny still around? I get that he’s a good character and model pro but we have 3 players who play his position.
As with so many academy players, it’s a question of physicality. Can his body develop and hold up? If the answer is yes, then he’s clearly top flight quality. I haven’t studied his game in detail, but I think he can be kind of a deeper lying midfield controller/creator, a bit of a younger Jorginho if you like. I don’t think he’s going to have elite physical traits and I haven’t seen him flash much in the way of final third efficiency. That said, Jorginho is a top player and Charlie can follow his example for how to make yourself… Read more »
Agree with you on him beimg a deeper lying midfield controller.
That’s where he played his best games at Blackpool before Mick McCarthy took over.
I also agree that he needs to add more physicality to survive in his position in the senior side.
I’m still hopeful that can happen because come next season, there will be a window of opportunity for him with Jorginho, Elneny & Partey (if he doesn’t extend) leaving the club.
Looks like a younger Ben White.
He looks more than Jack White than Ben White
he looks as happy as tonali joining the mbs all stars