Arsenal starlet Charlie Patino produced a brilliant performance in Blackpool’s 4-2 victory over local rivals Preston North End. The midfielder has the makings of a cult hero during his loan stint at Bloomfield Road.
Patino has been tipped to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka to go from Arsenal’s famed Hale End academy to Mikel Arteta’s first team.
He only turned 19 earlier this week, but is incredibly highly rated, having been described by one youth scout as “the best kid I’ve ever seen”.
The Watford-born starlet, who represents England at Under-20 level, did nothing to puncture the hype bubble when he scored for Arsenal on his senior debut, capping off a 5-1 League Cup victory over Sunderland.
Now getting his first taste of senior football at Blackpool, he’s been gradually adapting to the step-up in physicality and intensity. But his performance in the Lancashire derby against Preston has seen Patino explode into life. He’s already earned his very own chant and the Blackpool fans have taken to him to heart.
“He’s Charlie Patino, he knew the place to go, although he’d never seen, the boys in Tangerine, he felt it everywhere, he breathed in the sea air, and then he said to me, I f*cking hate PNE!,” goes his new chant from the Blackpool faithful.
The Tangerines supporters were already singing the new song before Patino produced a man-of-the-match performance in a fixture that’s a massive deal in that particular corner of north-west England. He’s yet to experience a north London derby, and this will be vital experience.
But the occasion evidently didn’t faze him – the youngster scored one and set up another and was buzzing around the pitch. After putting Blackpool ahead, he ran over to the travelling Preston fans and shushed the away end.
“He’s a lad who, for his age, is very, very mature. I think he’s capable of playing numerous positions in that midfield area. We’ve used him as a six, an eight, even as a number 10 at times,” Blackpool boss Michael Appleton told talkSPORT.
“He deals with it, he copes with it [numerous positions in the midfield]. He’s got an understanding of the game beyond his years. He can deal with the ball and move it, he’s got a big future ahead of him.”
Appleton wasn’t the only one impressed by Patino’s performance.
“A joy to watch, glides effortlessly through midfield and his technical quality for his goal and Yates assist spoke volumes…
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