Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has tipped Arsenal midfielder Charlie Patino to be the breakthrough player in the Premier League in 2022.
The teenager only made his senior debut in December and it didn’t take long for him to make his mark. Patino came on for the last 11 minutes against Sunderland and scored with his first shot at goal.
Arsenal fans have always known that Patino is the next big thing to come out of Hale End, and Ferdinand, who knows a thing or two about talented young players, is now convinced too.
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Rio Ferdinand: The talent Charlie Patino has is a joke
Speaking on BT Sport before our game against Manchester City, Ferdinand said: “Go on YouTube and watch his clips. It’s a joke what you see, the talent he’s got.
“I’ve spoken to people at Arsenal and what they say about him in terms of this kid, talent-wise, could potentially be the best of the lot that’s come out in recent years. It’s a huge bar, but this kid has the talent and the big, big part of him is his mentality.
“When you talk to anybody who knows him, mentally, he doesn’t get carried away, doesn’t get too low, doesn’t get too high, very balanced kid, but has all the fundamentals in his game to really go to the top of the tree.
“This kid is the next. I just feel, when you watch him, there’s a beautiful way he plays, the balance, the rhythm, the fans will enjoy watching him.”
The Insider’s View:
That really is huge praise for Patino.
The youngster is an extraordinary talent and he has the potential to become one of the best players in the Premier League very soon. After Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe, he could be our next big star, but let’s give him time to breathe.
Patino is still only 18 and he has a lot to learn. Mikel Arteta certainly trusts his talent, but the Arsenal boss has always been cautious when it comes to young players, and we expect him to treat the teenager the same way.
It will be interesting to see if Patino will get any more game time this season. It’s unlikely, but with Thomas Partey and Mohamed Elneny heading out for AFCON and Ainsley Maitland-Niles potentially leaving, there is a chance.
We can’t wait to see more of him!
