Well, Charlie Patino is clearly a fully-fledged member of Arsenal’s senior setup these days.
Patino has broken into Mikel Arteta’s first-team squad at London Colney this season.
Despite being only 18, the Hale End graduate has shown remarkable potential and he might follow Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe in being the latest gem to come off the conveyorbelt at London Colney.
He hasn’t yet featured in the Premier League but the Spanish manager did give Patino a senior debut in the League Cup victory over Sunderland in December – and he scored.
The youngster then earned a full bow in the demoralising FA Cup defeat at Nottingham Forest earlier this month, playing 69 minutes.
Despite not being as impressive on that occasion, the Arsenal manager remains a big supporter of Patino.
We know that because Taylor Foran – another prospect in North London – and Patino have both been included in the squad which travelled to Dubai today.
Here’s what Foran posted on Instagram:
Last action
That defeat at Nottingham Forest will probably be Patino’s last involvement with Arsenal’s senior squad this season, in terms of appearances.
That’s because Arteta’s troops are now out of every domestic competition and only have to focus on the Premier League now.
And with Champions League qualification at stake, the Gunners simply can’t afford to experiment with raw youngsters.
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