Charlie Patino is on loan in the Championship for the second season in a row (Picture: Getty)
Arsenal wonderkid Charlie Patino, on loan at Swansea City, has been inspired by William Saliba’s route into the Gunners XI and is plotting to emulate him.
Patino, an Arsenal academy graduate, joined the Swans on a season-long loan this term and has registered four goal involvements across nine Championship games.
It is the second campaign in a row that the England U21 midfielder is playing in England’s second tier after he spent the 2022-23 season on loan at Blackpool.
The 19-year-old, who turns 20 on Tuesday, is hoping that he can impress on loan and use the experience to break into the Arsenal XI just like Saliba did.
Saliba has established himself as one of Arsenal’s most important players but it took him years until he became a first-team regular – with the Gunners sending him out on loan three times before he eventually secured his spot in the team.
‘It’s inspiring to see someone from Arsenal being able to go on loan, make a name for himself and come back and show his qualities at Arsenal because it is a massive club,’ Patino told the Daily Mail about Saliba.
‘Everyone’s journey is different. Bukayo Saka went straight from academy to first team, Eddie Nketiah went on a few loans, Emile Smith Rowe went on a few loans, so everyone’s journey is different.
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‘But ultimately, it’s about getting to where you want to get to, and that’s the same for me. I want to play in the first team at Arsenal and being here is a massive pathway to help me do that.
‘Physicality is one of the main aspects I want to improve. I go in and do extra recovery, extra gym sessions to better myself as a player.
‘I think it’s important because if I want to step up and be a Premier League player, the games are a lot quicker now and you have to be ready for one-v-one duels and battles that happen all over the pitch.’
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‘It’s inspiring to see!’