Forgotten Arsenal talent given first-team hope amid Milan interest
Tom Weber
- 1 Nov 2023 13:52 CDT
- 4 min read
Forgotten Arsenal talent Charlie Patino has been offered a way back into the first team, but it could be a struggle to keep hold of him.
The 20-year-old midfielder has not managed to quite break into the Gunners fold as many expected after bursting onto the scene as a youngster. However, Patino is now impressing at Swansea City in the Championship, which has given rise to questions as to whether he could yet make it big at the Emirates.
Head coach Mikel Arteta addressed these questions at his pre-match conference prior to the Gunners' Carabao Cup clash with West Ham. The Spaniard insisted that in no way is the door closed for the talented youngster. "There is always a pathway," Arteta said.
READ: Mikel Arteta admits defeat in Arsenal-Juventus swap deal
"When we make decisions on those kind of players it is always to keep an eye on them and see if we can evolve the squad in a way. The first thing we do is look at what we have internally."
However, having racked up a goal and four assists so far this term, Patino is now attracting interest from high-profile suitors.
Milan keen
According to Calciomercato, AC Milan are keeping tabs on Patino's development at Swansea. The Rossoneri are aware that any deal would be tough to strike. The report asserts that the Gunners would demand a whopping €25 million to relinquish the 20-year-old.
Patino isn't the only exciting young midfielder eyed by the Serie A giants. It is also claimed that contacts have already been established with Assan Ouedraogo's camp. The 17-year-old German has burst onto the scene at Schalke this season and is being linked with the likes of Bayern, Leipzig, Liverpool and Chelsea.
READ: Declan Rice is on his way to being Arsenal's new Patrick Vieira
Milan are said to be ready to target youngsters in a bid to stay competitive in Italy, where youth work - especially of the domestic kind - has increasingly come under fire. Many believe that homegrown talents aren't given enough of a chance, which led to one of the country's biggest prospects, Cesare Casadei, leaving Milan's city rivals Inter for Chelsea in 2022.
