AC Milan have reportedly identified Arsenal midfielder Charlie Patino as a future transfer target.
The 20-year-old – who is currently on loan with Championship outfit Swansea City – was tipped for a bright future at the Emirates Stadium after a series of impressive displays at academy level.
In December 2021, Patino came off the bench to score on his Arsenal debut in a 5-1 EFL Cup win over Sunderland, before starting an FA Cup loss to Nottingham Forest a few weeks later.
However, the England Under-21 international has not made another first-team appearance for the Gunners since, spending the 2022-23 season on loan at Blackpool and joining Swansea for the current campaign.
Patino has made a bright start to his second stint in the Championship with one goal and four assists from his first 11 games in Wales, and Arsenal triggered an extension in his contract prior to his move to keep him at the club until 2025 It was reported over the summer that Patino’s long-term future may lie away from Arsenal, as his chances of regular first-team football over Mikel Arteta’s current midfielders were slim.
However, the England international recently claimed he still hopes to make a name for himself in north London, but if he continues to play with the same spirit, he may not be short of offers in the coming months.
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According to Calciomercato, Italian giants Milan are closely monitoring their performances in the English second tier, as the Rossoneri aim to continue to strengthen their ranks with young talent.
However, at the present time, Patino is only considered a backup plan if Milan cannot reach an agreement to extend the contract with Rade Krunic, who will become a free agent at the end of the 2024 season- 25.
The Rossoneri are expected to increase their interest in Patino if Krunic does not agree new terms, but Arsenal are ready to demand up to €25m (£21.
7m) to get their product brought into the academy.
Formerly of Luton Town, Patino left the Hatters in 2015 to join Arsenal’s youth team, and former Gunners scout Brian Stapleton has hailed the 20-year-old as “the best kid” he has ever seen.
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“Of all the years I’ve been scouting, he’s the best kid I’ve ever seen,” Stapleton told Goal in 2021.
“I got a tip off about Charlie from a guy, so I went over there and I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.
He was 11 and I think he was playing in the Under-13s, and I was like ‘wow’.
“His first touch was unbelievable, his vision, his awareness of space.
He was way above his years, he was on another planet to anyone else on the pitch.
“I made a phone call to my head of my department at Arsenal at the time, Sean O’Connor.
He asked what I thought and I said, ‘well, I’m not coming back again.
I don’t need to see any more, you need to sign this kid straight away.
“Sean O’Connor discovered Jack Wilshere and he said to me that Charlie is the best player who has ever walked through the doors at Hale End.
The kid has got so much potential, but he’s not there yet.
” Patino has represented England from Under-15 to Under-21 level, making his debut for the latter in a Euros qualifying victory over Luxembourg in September.
