Debut goal, wonderkid label, Arteta deam - the curious case of Charlie Patino’s Arsenal career

It seemed the sky was the limit for Charlie Patino after his debut goal for the club in December 2021, though the talented midfielder is now set to exit the club after nine years on the books.

Signed from Luton Town for a fee of £10,000 back in 2015, Patino was identified as a player with limitless potential and soon worked his way up the Arsenal academy age groups in impressive fashion. Such was his ability, Patino was featuring for the under-18s at the age of just 14.

Eventually presented with a first-team chance during a Carabao Cup quarter-final tie with Sunderland three years ago, the youngster was introduced with 10 minutes remaining in the contest and managed to get on the scoresheet. In doing so, he became the youngster Arsenal player (18) to net on their debut since Jon Sammels in 1963.

Describing this memorable moment after the match, Mikel Arteta remarked: "A beautiful moment. He is a kid that is coming through our system, a lovely kid. He is training with us almost every week. It was a dream. As a debut to come here, to score in front of our fans, a really special moment."

Patino was someone many Arsenal fans had heard of by this stage and supporters inside the stadium were singing the name of their new hero that evening, though Arteta was quick to issue a warning over the hype that was building.

"I see that! I saw it around the club," he said. "They heard about him and know what he can become - and now we have to cook him slowly. Today was a good start. He still has a lot of competition in front of him. He is really young. And he needs to go step by step. Today he was lucky, he got the opportunity and he took it really well.

"I think that is very positive [that the fans were singing his name]," the Spaniard said at the time. "They heard about him and know what he can become and now we have to cook him slowly. Today was a good start, I think. [Too much expectation around him] is what we have to avoid. He still has a lot of competition in front of him. He is really young. And he needs to go step by step. Today he was lucky, he got the opportunity and he took it really well.”

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Offering his own analysis of this special occasion, Patino told GOAL: "It was an amazing night. When I came on, it was an amazing feeling hearing everyone chanting my name. It gave me so much confidence. I felt free, I felt like I could play like I normally play.

“Then when I got my first pass off, it brought even more confidence. Then to score after Pepe crossed it in, it was just amazing, honestly.”

Hoping to become the next Bukayo Saka or Emile Smith Rowe was the task Patino was faced with and something he was relishing rather than fearing. "I wouldn’t say it’s pressure, it’s something I want to take into my stride. I just want to try and do what they did," he explained.

“Every day I’m just going to go into London Colney and working hard on the things I need to work hard on. Bukayo and Emile are obviously very talented players, but I think what also separates them from a lot of other talented players who have come through is their attitude, their mindset and how humble they are.

“It’s very difficult coming straight from Hale End to London Colney and then getting straight to the first-team without really going on loan. That’s credit to their work ethic and what they do every day.”

A first Arsenal start then arrived in a separate cup competition, starring in the Gunners' FA Cup third-round defeat by Nottingham Forest in January 2022. He would also make the matchday squad for six Premier League fixtures during 2021/22, though failed to earn any minutes.

Patino was soon impressing elsewhere after being loaned to Blackpool for the following campaign and endeared himself to supporters by scoring an assisting in a 4-2 win over local rivals, Preston North End. Heaping praise on the Hale End Academy graduate, ex-Seasiders striker Jerry Yates said at the time: "He’s sensational. He deserves all the credit. He’s only young, but the way he has taken to the Championship is unbelievable. He’ll be a top, top player.”

Unable to help Blackpool avoid the drop, Patino returned to the Emirates during the summer of 2023 before this time being sent to Swansea City. The Watford-born star contributed a total of four goals and four assists in 35 appearances, helping the club to a 14th-placed finish.

Now ready for the next step in his career, this will not be coming in North London. Indeed, Arsenal have agreed to sell the 20-year-old to Deportivo La Coruna, with only personal terms needing to be finalised. Patino had entered the final year of his contract and the Gunners have seemingly decided to cash in now, avoiding the prospect of the player departing on a free transfer next summer.

Football.london understands a fee of £1million has been struck for the services of the starlet, with Arsenal inserting a significant sell-on clause as part of this deal.