Arsenal teenager Charlie Patino will leave the London club in the offseason.
The central midfielder wants regular first-team football, which is difficult to find at the Emirates currently. Gunners manager Mikel Arteta is aware of Patino’s desire to move away from Arsenal and respects the player’s decision to permanently depart.
Patino is 19 years old and is one of Arsenal’s most talented prospects. He is currently valued at €8 million by Transfermarkt. The midfielder came through the Arsenal academy moving up the age ranks. The left-footed midfielder has spent the 2022-23 season on loan with Championship club Blackpool. Patino has made 33 appearances for the club, scoring two goals and assisting four.
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Although Blackpool were relegated from the Championship back to League One, Patino has excelled with the Tangerines. Blackpool collected just 41 points in their opening 45 matches in the Championship. Patino tallied 2,344 minutes in 33 Championship appearances for the club. He averaged 71 minutes per fixture playing as an attacking midfielder, defensive midfielder, and box-to-box central midfielder. Patino posted a 68.4% pass completion, according to FBREF.
Arsenal had an option on Patino’s contract, which they activated, keeping the player at the Emirates until 2025. However, Arteta is unlikely to use Patino with the first team next season. Arteta wants to upgrade the Gunners by signing new midfielders in the transfer market rather than promoting youth team players. Patino joined the Arsenal academy at the age of 11 after starting with Luton Town. He made two senior appearances for Arsenal after signing a professional contract in 2020.
Patino has played for the England national team at different youth levels. He most recently made three appearances for the England U20 team in September 2022. Patino played against Chile, Morocco, and Australia, collecting 95 minutes of action across those three fixtures.
Despite activating Patino’s extension, the club will let him leave as a free agent. Patino’s success in the Championship could lead clubs from the division to approach him over a permanent deal. Arsenal are also likely to part ways with Folarin Balogun. Although Balogun has 18 goals in 32 Ligue 1 matches for Reims, Arteta does not see a future at the Emirates for the striker. Paris Saint-Germain are linked with a transfer for Balogun.
Balogun played just two matches for Arsenal’s first team, appearing in two matches. He scored zero goals during that time. In Ligue 1, Balogun tallied 20 goals-plus-assists.
Patino and Balogun’s potential exits could lead the club to sign West Ham’s Declan Rice. The midfielder is atop Arsenal’s transfer wish list. Rumours also suggest Arteta will finally sell midfielder Granit Xhaka. Mason Mount and Moise Caicedo are also linked with a transfer to Arsenal. However, Rice, Mount, and Caicedo are being linked to the Premier League’s other top teams. Arteta will hope to strengthen the squad for the team’s first appearance in the Champions League since 2017.