FORMER Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson has tipped Charlie Patino and the Gunners’ young attackers to be the backbone of the team for years to come.
Patino came off the bench and scored the final goal of the north Londoners’ 5-1 Carabao Cup quarter-final victory over Sunderland on Tuesday night.
The 18-year-old joins the likes of Emile Smith Rowe, Eddie Nketiah, Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Sako as exciting Arsenal prospects, whom Merson can’t contain his delight about
He told Sky Sports: “There’s some good things happening at Arsenal.
“You’ve got these young players. Imagine if Nketiah gets in the team then all of a sudden you’ve got Smith Rowe on one side and Saka on the other or Martinelli and Smith Rowe dropping back.
“Them four players and the young lad Charlie can be the next five, six, seven years at Arsenal.
“Who knows, they could be the next Man United.”
Former Leeds loanee Nketiah gave Gunners boss Mikel Arteta a timely reminder of his talent with a hat-trick against the Black Cats.
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But the 22-year-old looks destined to leave the Emirates after turning down a new contract earlier this month.
Arteta is eager to tie the striker down to a new deal, saying: “I tell you every day that we want to keep Eddie.
“We see how he trains, that’s what he does every day, he works so hard and puts the ball in the net every session.
“I am really delighted with him. Every time we have needed him he has always responded.
“We are trying. It’s not about anything else but minutes.
“He wants game time, he wants to be on that field and that is the only reason to say, ‘Can I do it here?’
“That’s the question. We all want him to stay.”
Arsenal will be back in action on Boxing Day, travelling to Carrow Road to take on Premier League strugglers Norwich.
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