Arsenal at risk of repeating Ismael Bennacer transfer mistake by letting Charlie Patino leave

Arsenal are at risk of repeating a past transfer mistake by letting Charlie Patino leave permanently in the summer.

According to The Athletic, the Gunners are expected to let Patino leave on a permanent basis this summer, with the club receptive to his desire to seek regular first-team football.

The 19-year-old has spent the campaign on loan at Blackpool, and impressed despite the club’s season having ultimately ended in relegation.

While Arsenal activated an option to extend Patino’s contract until 2025, he is unlikely to feature in Mikel Arteta’s plans, given the Gunners' desire to sign a high-profile midfielder this summer.

After amicable talks with the club Patino reportedly does not want to make another loan move and is prepared to pursue his career elsewhere.

The player, who has made 2 senior appearances since joining Arsenal from Luton Town at the age of 11, has attracted interest from the UK and abroad.

Arsenal transfer error

It’s always a risk when a club lets a young player leave. Indeed, Arsenal have let academy prospects depart prematurely in the past.

The most notable example is Ismael Bennacer, who was on the books at Arsenal between 2015 and 2017, but only made one appearance in the senior team.

After initially failing to make the grade in north London the Algeria midfielder was sold to Empoli for just £880,000, before being picked up by AC Milan in 2019 in a £14million deal.

Bennacer has since become a central cog in the Rossoneri’s midfield, having made 142 appearances for the club while he was key to the side that won the Scudetto last year.

Arsenal’s decision to let Bennacer go may have cost them in the long term.

Last month CalcioMercatoWeb claimed (via Football365) that Arsenal were looking to re-sign Bennacer, and could even try to tempt Milan into a sale by offering Folarin Balogun in a swap deal.

Bennacer only signed a four-and-a-half-year deal at Milan in January, and according to Transfermakrt, his market value now sits at £35million (€40million).