Patino nets on Arsenal debut

Another Hale End graduate made his mark on the Arsenal first team last night, as Charlie Patino netted a debut goal to round off a 5-1 victory in the Carabao Cup quarter-final.

Under the Emirates stadium lights, Patino came off the bench for the Gunners, and converted a Nicolas Pepe cut-back in the closing phase of the game, putting the icing on what had been an impressive Arsenal performance.

Speaking after the game, Mikel Arteta was quick to urge caution in over-hyping the Arsenal youngster, who is hoping to follow in the footsteps of Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe in making the transition from the academy to the first team.

But, Arteta warned:

“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.”

Has Patino already told fans about his future plan?

Now, one fan jokingly messaged Patino about his Football manager player, saying that Patino’s in-game character was upset after he rejected a Paris Saint Germain bid for the young englishman.

And, in a surprising turn of events, Patino replied. The Hale End man said:

“Tell virtual Charlie Patino to grow up and remind him Arsenal is a classier club”.

While in jest, does it hint at his desire to commit his future to Arsenal, despite potential interest from other clubs the size of PSG to come?

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