Within a week of the transfer window opening Everton have refreshed both full back positions with youthful additions with the signing of Nathan Patterson confirmed today. Let’s have a more detailed look at these exciting signings.
Already Vitaliy Mykolenko, 22, had completed his transfer from Dynamo Kiev and was displayed in front of the Everton fans at Goodison Park before the match with Brighton on Sunday with a fee agreed in the region of £20 million pounds.
Now within days another full back has joined Mykolenko at Goodison Park, Patterson has signed his contract and a deal has been struck with Glasgow Rangers to bring the 20 year old right back to Everton, the clubs have said it is an undisclosed fee.
Evertonians will be asking what can these young, dynamic players bring to a squad in desperate need of a change of momentum after only 1 win in 12 league games.
For Mykolenko we can ask @ZoryaLondonsk who analyse Ukranian football. They speak about his playing style, strengths and personality in this podcast.
It will certainly be interesting to see if Lucas Digne is sold, or loaned out, in the current transfer window which would open up the left back slot for Mykolenko to make his own in the coming weeks.
Patterson is an even more intriguing signing from Rangers. The 20 year old has several Scottish international caps and an international goal to his name, but has only appeared for 1,553 minutes for Rangers in the first team. This is mainly down to James Tavernier, the captain, being in front of Patterson meaning his first team appearances are limited.
"They all showed Patterson’s top traits: his aggression to win the ball back, his positivity to drive into space, the intervention in tight areas and the calmness to deliver into a gap when presented."
Jordan Campbell, The Athletic UK
As described above after Patterson’s first international goal, there is plenty of positivity in his play to encourage Everton fans that finally they have Seamus Coleman’s long term replacement.
The fact Patterson played in Euro 2020 with Scotland and has helped them into the World Cup play-offs shows how highly thought of he is north of the border.
The pressure is firmly on Rafa Benitez to deliver a positive second half to the season and this may not be the end of the transfer incomings in January, although out goings may be required for anymore signings to take place.
These two young internationals are more longer term additions who Evertonians would hope have the same impact as Leighton Baines and Coleman had a decade ago as a dynamic and reliable full back pairing.