The arrival of Nathan Patterson at Everton from Rangers in January of 2022, he was just 19 years old and while there were questions about him, many thought there was plenty of promise in the lad.
The main problem was that Everton needed a right back who could step in and immediately contribute. Instead, the manager at the time (who shall not be named) decided to not only ship Lucas Digne to Aston Villa, replacing him with Vitalii Mykolenko (who has turned out okay, to be fair), but also spent £16 million to bring Patterson in, when that particular problem needed a more in-the-moment solution.
Injuries and the revolving managerial door have impacted Patterson's ability to stay on the pitch, yes, but he also appears to be a player in between positions. He's not good enough defensively to be a traditional right back, and his crossing and movement going forward don't allow him to be consistent enough as a modern fullback or wingback.
He's managed just 49 appearances across three and a half seasons since joining Everton, and there's little to suggest that he has improved. Most of that comes down to a lack of playing time, but it does make you wonder what he's shown during training to all three managers he's worked under since coming to Merseyside.
But now there are indications from multiple sources, including El Bobble, that Sevilla are eyeing a move to bring Patterson to Spain, with their star right back, Juanlu Sanchez, set to join Napoli this summer.
Patterson still has one more year left on his contract after this season, so a loan that helps rebuild some of his value would likely be beneficial for both sides. Everton can get some the money back they spent on the player, and the Scottish international can get regular football.
The catch, of course, is that right back is one place where Everton don't have a lot of depth. They've been starting Jake O'Brien there, but he's a center back by trade, and only a short term solution. If Patterson goes, Seamus Coleman would be the only senior right back on the squad, and his fitness is in question at this point in his career.
So for Patterson to go, Everton will need another incoming player to fill his spot, preferably someone who can start over the current options. That may make a move out on loan a deadline day deal for Patterson, but it is something to keep an eye on with the window set to close in just one week.