Everton are close to completing the signing of Nathan Patterson from Rangers. The right back is on the verge of joining the Toffees as the second signing of the January transfer window with left back Vitaliy Mykolenko arriving from Dynamo Kyiv for a deal worth £17 million.
Back in the summer, Everton were scrambling to sign a right back as the Merseyside club aims find a capable successor to Seamus Coleman who has shouldered the responsibilities of a right back for over a decade. The Irishman is on the wrong side of thirty and isn’t getting any younger or quicker. Age is catching on and the most logical step for Everton would be to find a competent replacement.
The Toffees seem to be already running behind schedule as a couple of transfer windows have gone by in search of a right back but they have failed to land a fresh right back. Coleman’s performances have started dipping and Jonjoe Kenny isn’t trusted with the responsibility of taking over the baton from Coleman.
Max Aarons, Tariq Lamptey, Ainsley Maitland-Niles and most recently Patterson, have been linked with Everton. The Toffees finally seem to make inroads in their quest to sign a right back, with the Patterson deal close to completion.
Everton finally have a Seamus Coleman successor in Nathan Patterson
Everton submitted two bids of £8 million and £10 million respectively in the summer transfer window for the 20 year old but neither of the bids reached Rangers’ valuation and the deal never materialized.
According to Sky Sports, the Royal Blues have made another attempt to acquire Patterson which could be worth up to £16 million, comprising of a £12 million initial fee and another £4 million in add-ons.
Patterson has played second fiddle to James Tavernier, playing just six Scottish league games and in the process registering a solitary assist to his name. The Scotsman is still in the infant stages of his career, playing just 27 club games so far and needs to be polished before he is ready for the Premier League circus.
The 20 year old may not out rightly fit into the first choice role of the right back given his inexperience in the Premier League but the transition can no longer be delayed. Patterson needs to be a quick learner and imbibe all the counsel possible from Coleman.
He’s young, mouldable and has time on his side to refine himself and adjust to the pace and intensity of the Premier League. Patterson is raw and will need the right support and incubation from Everton if he is to truly transform into a solid right back.
Is Nathan Patterson the right choice for Everton?