Barcelona ready to sign Arsenal wonderkid for free

FT Desk

• Updated: 23 May 2023 08:55 CDT
• 3 min read

Arsenal poached Cesc Fabregas from Barcelona's youth academy back in 2003, and the Blaugrana now look set to avenge that loss 20 years on…

Charlie Patino has been a star of Arsenal's academy since joining in 2015 at the age of 11, and he was already featuring for their under-18 side just three years later.

But now 19, his path to first-team football has been blocked by the likes of Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka, and Patino joined Championship side Blackpool on loan at the start of this season.

READ: The potential ability of every Arsenal youngster

Patino is capped for England up to under-20 level, but as his name might suggest, he was born to Spanish parents and he is eligible to play for Spain - something that helps Barcelona with Patino no counting as a non-EU player, should he arrive.

That is what the Camp Nou club want, according to Calcio Mercato.

"Patino's international future is uncertain," they report. "As for club level, pay attention to Barcelona, who are already familiar with Patino and continue to track him should the Gunners take their eye off the ball."

READ: Barcelona cannot afford to make January transfers, Laporta admits

Arsenal may in fact already have done that. Patino is out of contract at the Emirates at the end of the season, and as well as modelling his game on Fabregas, he also grew up with an appreciation of Andres Iniesta and now Barca manager Xavi.

How good is Patino?

A ball-playing midfielder who is just as happy to anchor the midfield as he is at No.10, Patino raced through the Arsenal academy teams and he was handed his senior debut in the Carabao Cup last December, coming off the bench to score in a 5-1 win over Sunderland.

He has impressed with Blackpool this season, with two goals and two assists from his 15 games - 12 of them starts - despite the Seasiders sitting second-bottom after 21 games played.