insists Charlie Patino still has a chance of forcing his way into his long-term plans following a bright start to his loan spell at .
The elegant midfielder made his first team breakthrough two years ago, marking a dream debut by scoring with his first touch in a Carabao Cup victory against Sunderland.
Patino subsequently struggled on his full debut in an third round defeat at Nottigham Forest and hasn’t featured for his boyhood club since.
The 20-year-old spent last season at Blackpool and looked destined to leave on a permanent basis last summer before a late change of plans.
Patino has subsequently impressed this term for The Championship side and Arteta insists he is keeping a close eye on player who has been marked out for stardom from a young age.
Speaking ahead of tomorrow night’s Carabao Cup tie against West Ham, Arteta said: ‘There is always a pathway.
‘When make decisions on those kind of players it is always to keep an eye on them and see if we can evolve the squad in a way. The first thing we do is look at what we have internally.’
Should Patino return to the first team fold next season he will compete for a midfield slot alongside the club’s record signing Declan Rice who is set to feature against his old club for the first time tomorrow evening.
Asked whether he envisages Rice getting a good reception, Arteta said: ‘I would say so, I hope so. Every time you hear him talk about West Ham and what they did for him and everybody at the club, he cannot talk any higher of them, so hopefully they will be the same way towards him.’
He added: ‘It will be his first time back at his old club and a beautiful moment for him I think.
‘I think it is beautiful [returning to your old club]. I had a chance to do it a few times and then you really see what they think of you and what you left at the club.
‘It is a really good way to measure your experience and your reality within the reality of people that share moments with you.’
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