Arsenal: 4 exciting academy stars who could feature vs Nottingham Forest

4. Charlie Patino

The main man. The name on everyone’s lips. And the man whose name was being sung around the Emirates before he’d even kicked a ball. He even got some chants against Norwich.

Not only the most likely of all the academy stars to feature, Charlie Patino is also in line to start on Sunday.

There is obviously tremendous belief in Patino’s talent. He made his debut against Sunderland in December and marked the occasion with a well taken goal, and then was included in his first ever Premier League squad in the hammering of the Canaries at Carrow Road.

Jack Wilshere is the player most used to describe Patino’s style. He uses his body excellently to evade his marker and beat the press, while his close control is reminiscent of those footballs you used to get as a kid that were attached by string; Patino does not lose possession often.

Such an aesthetically pleasing deep-lying central playmaker, there is no doubting whatsoever that Patino won’t be a regular fixture in the first team at some point in the not too distant future. Labelled the finest talent to ever emerge from Hale End, the buzz around Patino is unlike any other.

A start against Nottingham Forest? Don’t bet against it.