William Saliba had to wait three years before making his Arsenal debut, but he is now an integral part of Mikel Arteta’s team after going through three loan spells in France. While Bukayo Saka immediately joined Arsenal’s first-team squad after graduating from the academy, it’s evident that becoming a key player under Arteta is possible even after undergoing a series of loan spells, as demonstrated by Saliba.
Patino, when asked about Saliba in an interview with the Daily Mail, expressed admiration, saying, “It’s inspiring to see someone from Arsenal being able to go on loan, make a name for himself, and come back to exhibit his qualities at Arsenal because it’s a massive club.”
Patino has also received praise for his support from Saka, Emile Smith Rowe, and Eddie Nketiah, all of whom also came through Arsenal’s academy. “Training with them every day has helped me develop on and off the pitch,” said the teenager.
Patino believes he has learned from this trio, describing Saka and club captain Martin Odegaard as “real leaders.” He added, “Bukayo, who came up through the ranks, has been really good for me, and getting advice from him and Smith Rowe.”
Part of England’s U21 squad for this month’s internationals, Patino aims to accumulate more appearances and assist Swansea in securing promotion to the Premier League. Swansea is currently in 12th place in the Championship.
Patino, who made 37 appearances for Blackpool last season but couldn’t prevent their relegation to League One, has already played nine times for Swansea this season, contributing to their four consecutive Championship victories.
Patino acknowledges that “everyone’s journey is different” and recognizes the depth of Arsenal’s squad, with players like Fabio Vieira and Jorginho on the bench. Nevertheless, he is resolute, stating, “It’s about achieving your goals… I want to play for Arsenal’s first team.”