Manager says 19-year-old Arsenal loanee wants to go back to the Emirates and play

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Youngster Charlie Patino is desperate to break into Mikel Arteta’s first team at Arsenal one day.

He’s currently on loan at Championship side Swansea City and manager Michael Duff has been speaking about the teenager to The Athletic.

It’s been a whirlwind couple of months for Charlie Patino after his spell at Blackpool ended.

The 19-year-old looked set to be leaving Arsenal in the summer as he didn’t see a route to the first team.

There were plenty of interested clubs but in the end, a suitable bid wasn’t submitted to Arsenal.

Patino instead went back to the Championship on loan, this time with Swansea City.

He’s had a superb start to the season and is showing the kind of form that had Arsenal fans excited when he made his senior debut as an 18-year-old.

Swansea manager Duff has admitted that Patino has ambitions to break into Mikel Arteta’s team at Arsenal.

That might be tricky given the competition that he currently faces.

However, Jorginho and Mohamed Elneny are unlikely to be long-term solutions at the Emirates, meaning a spot in the squad could open up for Patino.

Patino wants to break into Arteta’s Arsenal squad

Speaking about the teenage midfielder, Duff said: “He’s a really good kid.

“He’s really ambitious, but there is a reality and work ethic with it. It’s easy to say ‘I want to be this’, but he’s prepared to work every day.

“He goes through his clips, he wants to do extras and is a joy to work with.

“His ambition is to play for Arsenal, but he needs to play well for us. We’ll hopefully help him along the way.”

Arsenal aren’t short of youngster with plenty of potential like Patino and Arteta is keeping a close eye on many of them.

Charles Sagoe Jr. was handed his debut last week against Brentford in the EFL Cup.

Defender Reuell Walters has been included in several senior squads, while Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly are two names to keep an eye out on.

Patino is ahead of all of them in his development and another strong season in England’s second tier could earn him a coveted place among Arteta’s Arsenal squad.