Charlie Patino says that Martin Odegaard is a player he looks up to in Arsenal training.
The 18-year-old is one of the highest-rated youngsters to have come out of the Gunners academy, which has produced the likes of Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe and Eddie Nketiah in recent seasons.
After impressing for the Under-23 side this season, Patino made his senior debut against Sunderland in the Carabao Cup quarter finals, marking it with a goal before going on to be included in the Premier League squad for the Boxing Day clash against Norwich.
And now, football.london understands that he's set to be involved yet again when Arsenal travel to face Nottingham Forest at the City Ground this weekend.
Patino, as well as teammate Salah-Eddine Oulad M’hand, were not involved in the Under-23s match against Brighton on Friday night, and are both expected to be make the matchday squad on Sunday.
With Ainsley Maitland-Niles' transfer to Roma set to be announced this weekend, and with Mohamed Elneny and Thomas Partey away at the Africa Cup of Nations, the Gunners are short in the midfield area this month.
That alone suggests that Patino will be offered more opportunities, and perhaps will be offered the chance to play alongside a player he says he looks up to in Odegaard.
The 23-year-old Norwegian star has notably settled in at the Emirates and is starting to show his worth in Arsenal's colours, both on the pitch and on the training ground.
“Odegaard is amazing in training," Patino said on a live Facebook stream, via The Boot Room.
"He’s really settled in now. He’s a player I really look up to, he’s helped me a lot. Odegaard is very, very good."
Odegaard's leadership qualities have come into question in recent weeks, especially since Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was stripped of the captaincy.
He's being considered as one of the long-term possibilities for the role, and as Patino has alluded to, he's already showing why.
