Juventus send scouts to watch Arsenal wonderkid

Stuart Telford

• 7 Jan 2024 12:38 GMT
• 3 min read

Juventus are scouting Arsenal youngster Charlie Patino, who has been impressing on loan at Swansea this season.

Patino is regarded as one of the brightest prospects to have come out of Arsenal's youth academy, but he has found first-team opportunities at a premium at the Emirates.

After spending last season on loan at Blackpool, who was allowed to leave for Swansea this, but that hasn't stopped Italian trio Juventus, AC Milan and Inter from tracking his development.

"A Juventus scout will be present will be present at Swansea Stadium," Calciomercato had confirmed ahead of Swansea's 2-0 win over Morecambe. "They want to see up close a player who has been shortlisted for some time: Charlie Patino."

They are likely to have been impressed, with Patino dominating the midfield and chipping in with the first of Swansea's goals as they punched their ticket into the FA Cup's fourth round.

The next Frenkie?

A midfield string-puller who scores well for interceptions and assists, Patino has drawn comparisons with Barcelona star Frenkie de Jong, although he admits that his idols are former Gunners Cesc Fabregas and Santi Cazorla.

The report goes on to state that Arsenal would be looking for up to €30m for their recent Hale End star, who is valued at just €2.4m by FootballTransfers' in-house algorithm.

Arsenal are in the market for a central midfielder with Thomas Partey's future uncertain and Granit Xhaka having left for Bayer Leverkusen last summer.

Declan Rice has impressed since his £105m arrival from West Ham, but more cover in the position would be welcomed, hence Arsenal's unwillingness to let him go for much less.

The offer of first-team football could prove irresistible for Patino, however. Paul Pogba - another player first picked up from English academy football - faces a four-year ban for doping, so there could certainly be space in their midfield.