When Charlie Patino scored for Arsenal on his senior debut last night against Sunderland was a brilliant moment for the player and so many supporters who have been calling for the youngster to be given an opportunity.
Replacing Emile Smith-Rowe, Patino got on the end of Nicolas Pepe’s low cross to stab home Arsenal’s fifth goal of the evening. Yet another Hale End graduate through the doors and onto the Emirates turf.
With Arsenal needing depth in their attacking midfield options, the club has been linked with a move for possible targets that could provide Mikel Arteta with the desired strength in the role.
Spanish outlet Sport have credited the Gunners alongside Everton as ‘working’ on a move for Barcelona’s Philippe Coutinho. The Brazilian has struggled since his big-money transfer from Liverpool and has been linked with a move to Arsenal for some time.
Initially, before his season-long loan to Bayern Munich and then in the summer of 2020, he was again tipped with a possible switch to north London.
However, two summers on from his first link to the club, Arsenal are in a position whereby they can promote from within to provide attacking midfield competition to both Smith-Rowe and Martin Odegaard.
Arsenal operated in a 4-3-3 in the match with Sunderland. Odegaard and Smith-Rowe played as the two eights. Arteta has used this system against both Burnley and Crystal Palace with varying levels of success.
The structure is implemented to be more attacking in nature to dominate opponents with the addition of another attacker. Were Arteta to wish to switch from the established 4-2-3-1 style in the long-term, Smith-Rowe and Odegaard alone would be insufficient for the whole season.
Patino is yet to fully specialise as a midfielder but has played in the role for Kevin Betsy’s under-23s side. The benefit of Patino is his versatility as a midfielder.
The 18-year-old can operate as a ten, eight and even alongside a number six similar to how Santi Cazorla would partner Francis Coquelin.
Valued at £18 million according to Transfermarkt, Coutinho would command a fee still being under contract in addition to a considerable wage packet. With the position of striker and central midfield still needing investment, it makes little sense to spend heavily on Coutinho with a talent of Patino waiting for more first-team opportunities.
Keep the money, allow Patino to flourish and see the next star of the Arsenal academy follow in the footsteps of Smith Rowe, Bukayo Saka and the many that have come before them.
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