Michael Duff | Charlie Patino will add fluidity to the squad

Michael Duff believes new signing Charlie Patino will add balance and fluidity to the Swansea City midfield after the 19-year-old arrived on a season-long loan from Arsenal.

Patino put pen to paper on Thursday after training with the Swans for the first time the same day.

It’s the young Gunner’s second loan spell in the Championship, having spent last season with Blackpool.

But he’s highly thought of at Arsenal, making a handful of senior appearances for the club despite being a teenager.

“He needs to learn about us, and we need to learn about him, but his pedigree speaks for itself with the football club that he’s at,” said Duff.

“He’s played nearly 40 games already in the Championship, which is a tough ask for anyone at his age.

“I know he got relegated with Blackpool last season, but he’ll be much better for it and for all the experiences he’s already had. Hopefully, we can benefit from that.

“He’s a good footballer who gives us balance. 

“He’s left-footed and can play in a couple of positions. He can play deep or a bit higher up, so that gives us that fluidity which we want and he can handle a football which is what we want.”
 

Patino becomes the third Premier League loanee to join the Swans this window following the arrivals of Carl Rushworth and Harrison Ashby from Brighton & Hove Albion and Newcastle United respectively.

And Duff feels the club’s reputation for developing young players has played its part in getting top-rated youngsters to choose Swansea.

“There’s a reputation that this is a football club which plays good football and so it’s a good place to develop players,” he added.

“You see some of the players that this club has had over the years from loans who’ve gone on and players who have come through the academy. It is a good place to develop young players.

"Swansea is a good place to develop your career and Arsenal want Charlie to come here to do that.”