Arsenal look set to sell Charlie Patino this summer – but the Gunners could insert a buy-back clause into any sale.
Gunners fans were left stunned on Monday when news broke of a potential Patino exit.
The Athletic suggested that Patino is on his way out of Arsenal with the Gunners happy for him to go.
Patino wants first-team football elsewhere and doesn’t want to go out on loan again after this season’s spell at Blackpool.
It’s a sad situation for Arsenal fans, who had real hopes of Patino becoming a first-team regular just like Bukayo Saka.
That isn’t in the immediate plans but Patino may still end up having a future at Arsenal down the line.
The London Evening Standard report that Arsenal could look to add a buy-back clause into Patino’s exit.
Arsenal clearly still rate Patino highly but are understanding of his desire to nail down a starting role elsewhere.
A buy-back clause would give Patino a pathway back to Arsenal one day in the future.
That should appease Arsenal fans a little more than the initial reports of a Patino departure.
Arsenal talent Charlie Patino may leave Premier League
Top-flight English clubs may well be interested in Patino but we can actually see him heading abroad.
Patino qualifies for Spain through his father and the Spanish FA have shown an interest in him before.
Patino’s style of play – very technical in the middle of the park – really lends itself to the Spanish game.
A move to a mid-table La Liga side could really help Patino’s development and follow the trend of English players heading abroad.
Fikayo Tomori, Jude Bellingham, Jadon Sancho, Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, Marcus Edwards, Tammy Abraham, Angel Gome and Noni Madueke are just some of the talents to head abroad in recent years and further their development.
We can imagine the same for Patino moving forward, with the prospect of an Arsenal return later on.
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