Arsenal loanee Charlie Patino has opened up on the Emirates dressing room role models that have helped him push on as he continues to make an impact in senior football.
The 20-year-old midfielder had his first taste of regular first-team football on loan at Blackpool last season and is now spending the current campaign at Swansea City, where he has quickly become a starter in the heart of the Championship side’s midfield.
Patino was snapped up by Arsenal as an 11-year-old in 2015, joining from Luton Town for a fee of £10,000 and quickly turned heads as he rose through the youth ranks before making his Gunners debut in a Carabao Cup clash in December 2021.
The England U21s midfielder’s progression at the Emirates has been assisted by a number of experienced first-team players, but it was perhaps an unlikely star that Patino cited as one of his most important early influences.
“When I first joined the first team at Arsenal, I think I was 17. David Luiz was still there, and he was a massive help,” Patino told Sky Bet. “He would always come up to me and say, ‘Just work hard and enjoy yourself, if you need anything come speak to me’. Off the pitch, he was very helpful.
“On the pitch, Granit Xhaka, Martin Ødegaard, and even Bukayo Saka - he was still young, but I still went up to him because he followed the pathway that I ultimately want to follow. It was good for me to go and speak to him and get some information from him. Everyone was helpful when I was training with them, and when I did something nice, they were really encouraging but if I messed up, they just said ‘don't worry, get on with it - forget about it and go again’. I think that time with the first team was beneficial.”
Patino is currently midway through a second season out on loan as he looks to clock up regular first-team minutes but says he still keeps in touch with a number of his former Arsenal academy team-mates.
“I've got a good relationship with all of them [Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith-Rowe, Eddie Nketiah]. I keep in contact with them - when they do well in their games, I always message them and say congratulations, and vice versa.
“It’s nice to have a relationship even though we’re not playing within the same first teams now, it’s nice to keep in touch. I remember when I was a lot younger and they were breaking into the first team - it was quite inspirational as well because I had trained with them a couple of times before they broke into the first team and you could see their qualities, every one of them. It's nice to see them playing week in, week out, and helping Arsenal to try and win the Premier League.”
Charlie Patino was speaking exclusively to Sky Bet
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