Moving clubs at a young age is often difficult, and in modern football there’s further complications added, as well as far more scruitny.
On August 26th, Charlie Patiño arrived at Deportivo La Coruña from Arsenal on a permanent transfer.
The 20-year-old hasn’t is still working to adapt since joining the Spanish club. He was left on the bench for three league games in a row.
La Voz de Galicia had a chat with the former Arsenal youngster’s club teammate, Mario Soriano.
The 22-year-old was asked about the Segunda División side’s decision to bet on the England U21 international in the summer window. They gave him a four-year deal, and manager Imanol Idiakez is presumably letting the youngster settle in.
Soriano said he’s making efforts to help the summer signing adapt to his new surroundings. He mentioned this when the newspaper pointed out to him that he’s ‘attentive’ to Patiño.
“Since he came, I’ve tried to help him. I don’t know much English, but it’s a very difficult situation. If I were in his place, I’d have an even worse time. It’s a radical change. He hardly understands anything,” he said.
“I have a great relationship with him, I try to help him, I try to go places with him in the afternoons so that he can adapt as soon as possible, and sooner or later he will show the level he has, because he is a very good player, technically super good, but it is costing him because it is a new country and another culture, a different language.
“I already said that if I went there, it would be much harder for me. He has not had any minutes, but he will have them sooner rather than later and he will show his level to be here and to play.”
The youngster is a product of the Premier League side’s’ youth system.
Patiño was at the north London club for nine years. He made only two appearances for the senior team, and both were in cup competitions during the 2021/22 season. Mikel Arteta’s side sent him out on loan to Blackpool and Swansea City in the last two seasons.
