Blackpool boss provides injury update on Arsenal starlet Charlie Patino

The Gunners midfielder is spending the season at Blackpool to speed up his development with more first-team minutes.

The 18-year-old started promisingly with four appearances for the Championship outfit, but his progress has been hampered by an injury picked up in a league match against QPR.

Patino started the match in impressive fashion at Loftus Road, however, he was forced off at half-time after rolling his ankle in the first half.

Blackpool boss Appleton was initially fearful over the extent of the injury suffered by the Gunners academy graduate, saying after the match: ‘It was quite badly swollen at half-time so it’s obviously something where we’ve got to control the swelling, get the swelling down and then once we’re in a position where the swelling is under control then he can go and get it scanned.

‘The injury to Charlie was a big blow because he was having a big influence on the game, he was playing his part.

‘It’s not great, if I’m being honest.’

But speaking ahead of Blackpool’s Championship clash against Burnley this weekend, Appleton revealed some more positive news, although the midfielder is still facing up to a month on the sidelines.

“There’s slightly better news on Charlie than I first feared if I’m being honest, but it’s still going to be potentially four weeks,’ Appleton said.

‘Depending on how he recovers and how it settles down in the next few days, it might be a few days earlier and it might be three or three-and-a-half weeks.

‘But as we understand it at the minute it’s going to be four weeks.’

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