14 January 2024 , 08:45
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Ask any Arsenal fan which position they need to strengthen in and just about every single one of them will tell you the Gunners need a new striker.
However, it is unclear if manager Mikel Arteta agrees, given the recent rumours linking Arsenal with the likes of Everton's Amadou Onana and Real Sociedad's Martin Zubimendi. It seems like the Gunners boss is keen on adding another body to what is frankly an already stacked midfield, regardless of the fact that transfer funds are looking light until the club sell some of their current crop.
It would certainly be a decision that raises eyebrows, given in the last two summer windows Arsenal have already spent a combined total of £205million on midfielders in Fabio Vieira, Declan Rice and rather controversially Kai Havertz.
There is a hearty portion of the Emirates faithful who would advise the boss to refrain from spending more money on their midfield, particularly when they have a stellar talent on their books currently out on loan at Swansea City in Charlie Patino.
The 20-year-old has only made two appearances for the Gunners' first-team but has long been heralded as the next big thing after some eye-catching reviews from coaches at every level he has played so far. A debut goal for Arsenal against Sunderland in late 2021 only helped the hype train roll on.
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If last season's loan spell at Blackpool had flashes of brilliance but ultimately not enough consistency, there has been a marked improvement at Swansea. Patino has bagged four goals in 22 outings, as well as four assists.
For context, that is more goal contributions than Vieira, while he has one less goal than Havertz, who has played seven more games. At just 20, his performances in Wales have been so impressive they have reportedly caught the eye of Serie A titans Juventus.
HAVE YOUR SAY! Should Arsenal integrate Patino into the first-team next term? Comment below
Charlie Patino has impressed while on loan at SwanseaHaving joined the Gunners in 2015 from Luton at 11 years old, Patino's Arsenal contract expires in the summer of 2024. Juventus feel that they can test the player's loyalty this summer, while the north Londoners themselves could cash in on the youngster before he walks for free 12 months later.
To do that would be a mistake in the eyes of many, given some felt Arsenal didn't even need to spend the £65m they spent on Havertz because of Patino. To put the Juventus target further down the pecking order by signing another midfielder would send all the wrong messages to the Gunners academy graduate.
Patino was recently the subject of praise from Swansea boss Luke Williams, who made clear that the former Luton prospect can be more lethal, as well as easy on the eye. "I said to Charlie that he needs to be in certain positions,” Williams told the media after Patino scored against Morecambe last week.
"He’s an attacking midfield player. He has to try and score, [to] try and create and score goals. He can’t just play in the middle of the pitch and play really lovely football. In the final third, an attacking midfield player is a killer. At half-time, we reminded him in a really clear way and made the action to go and win the game.
"The longer it goes on without scoring a goal, you’re more vulnerable. So, he made exactly the action I wanted him to make and scored the goal. That puts us in a different position."
There is still work to be done with Patino, he is not yet a guaranteed starter for Swansea, as shown by his 84th-minute substitution against Birmingham on Saturday, but he doesn't need to be the first name on the sheet at Arsenal either.
Considering the likes of Onana and Zubimendi would cost at the bare minimum £50m, snubbing a move for both and instead bringing Patino back into the fold could be one of the shrewdest bits of business Arsenal do next summer.
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