In a recent report, Sky Sports revealed that Everton are inching closer towards sealing a move for Rangers right-back Nathan Patterson this month. It is understood that the Toffees are hoping to strengthen their squad by recruiting the Scotland international during this January transfer window.
Patterson’s Recent Emergence In Scottish Football
The 20-year-old has been a sporadic feature at the Ibrox Stadium during this campaign but has put in a few impressive displays on the right side of the Rangers backline. Patterson has been involved in 11 matches for the Glaswegian giants this season, picking up one assist in the process on all fronts.
The Glasgow-born youngster has seen most of his game time come off the bench which explains why he is only averaging 0.8 tackles, 0.5 key passes, 0.5 crosses and 1.0 dribbles per 90 minutes in the Scottish Premiership. Still, he has been tidy when distributing possession from the right flank, based on his pass success rate of 86.5% in league football (stats via whoscored).
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Is Patterson A Good Choice For Everton Boss Rafael Benitez?
Patterson has decent pace under his belt and can make some energetic runs down the right flank when he is playing with confidence on the field. He is a solid tackler of the ball and can make life difficult for the opposition by closing them down quickly on the defensive end of the field. Patterson is primarily a right-back but can also play as a right-sided winger or feature as the left-back if needed.
The Scotland international can even whip in some inviting crosses into the opponent’s penalty box and is proficient at retaining possession in tight spaces. Thus, he is a decent choice for the Toffees to pursue during this winter transfer period.
Patterson has the potential to become a future star at Goodison Park if he can secure enough first-team football under Rafael Benitez‘s stewardship. He could even serve as an ideal long-term successor to Seamus Coleman who is in the last legs of his Everton career. At 20, the future is quite bright for Patterson, so the Toffees should think about trying everything they can to get a deal done for him before the end of this transfer window.
