Pundit verdict on Arsenal handing debut to ‘next Foden’ v Sunderland after pictures emerge
Alan Hutton has insisted now is the time for Arsenal to blood youngsters like Charlie Patino.
The former Scotland international, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, claimed the 18-year-old has a “big opportunity” to emulate the emergences of Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe.
Patino could be in line for his Arsenal debut in the League Cup against Sunderland on Tuesday night (21 December) after being pictured in first-team training this week.
The England U19 international has been compared to Man City star Phil Foden.
Hutton suggested that Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta could have seen promising signs from the youngster in training.
“That is high praise, to be spoken of as the next Phil Foden,” he told Football Insider‘s Ewan Kingsbury.
“These cups are a real opportunity for youngsters like him to come in and show their worth. They’ve obviously been training with the first team and Arteta knows them well enough to think they’re capable of handling it.
“When you’re steady like Arsenal are, looking really strong and confidence is high – that’s the time to blood these youngsters.
“You can see the pathway is working, with the likes of Saka and Smith Rowe recently coming through. The youth teams will be looking at those boys and thinking: ‘If they can do it, why can’t I?’
“It’s a big opportunity for Patino.”
The 18-year-old has scored once in 15 games for Arsenal’s youth sides this term.
2003-born Patino made his England U19 debut in October of this year.
In other news, Arsenal have been tipped to terminate a player’s contract after news in last 48 hours.