Arsenal protege Charlie Patino is reportedly set to leave the club permanently during this summer's transfer window.
The 19-year-old, who has been on the books with the Gunners since leaving Luton Town in 2015, has long been regarded as one of Arsenal's most promising academy prospects.
Patino made fleeting appearances in the senior team last term before joining Blackpool for the 2022-23 season to gain more first-team experience, and the midfielder has enjoyed a positive personal campaign for the Seasiders.
Patino has banked three goals and four assists from 36 games in all tournaments for Blackpool, but his efforts were not enough to stave off the Tangerines' relegation to League One.
The England Under-20 international is due to return to Arsenal for the pre-season period, and the Gunners recently activated an extension in his contract until the end of the 2024-25 campaign.
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However, The Athletic now reports that Patino will wave his goodbyes to the North London club this summer as he searches for regular first-team football elsewhere.
The Gunners will be back in the Champions League for the first time since the 2016-17 campaign next term, and a marquee midfield signing is expected to be their number one priority.
As a result, Arsenal cannot guarantee Patino the first-team assurances that he is after to stay, and the North London club are willing to let him depart to fulfil his ambitions elsewhere.
The report adds that "amicable" talks have taken place with both parties, and Patino has no interest in another loan exit, so a permanent departure will be on the cards in the coming months.
Barcelona are believed to have taken a liking to the 2003-born youngster, who represents England at youth level but also holds a Spanish passport through his father.
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Patino is poised to leave Arsenal having made just two senior appearances for the club under Mikel Arteta, scoring on his debut in a 5-1 EFL Cup win over Sunderland in December 2021.
The teenager subsequently made his first start for the club against Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup the following month, playing 69 minutes of that 1-0 loss at the City Ground.
Patino made the bench for each of Arsenal's final four Premier League games last season, but all of Granit Xhaka, Thomas Partey, Mohamed Elneny and Jorginho are ahead of him in the pecking order, and he would slip further down if the Gunners pull off a summer deal for West Ham United's Declan Rice.
Arsenal are already confirmed to be losing Ainsley Maitland-Niles, who has announced his departure ahead of the expiry of his contract in June, while Pablo Mari's loan move to Monza will be made permanent after the Italian side secured their safety in Serie A.
The futures of Reiss Nelson, Folarin Balogun, Nicolas Pepe, Kieran Tierney, Rob Holding and Albert Sambi Lokonga are also shrouded in uncertainty as Arteta prepares for another summer reshuffle.
Ben Knapton
