Pundit says Everton won’t sign ‘tremendous’ player, even if they bid £10m

Follow us on Google Discover

Alex Rae believes Rangers will not sell Nathan Patterson exit even if Premier League Everton come back with a bid of £10 million, speaking to Clyde 1 Superscoreboard. 

The Glasgow-born right-back has made 24 appearances for Rangers since forcing his way into the first-team picture under Steven Gerrard.

But if it wasn’t for James Tavernier, he surely would have played a whole lot more.

Unfortunately for young Patterson, he has the finest right-back in the league ahead of him in the Rangers pecking order, arguably the most creative member of Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s squad. 

There has been no suggestion that Patterson is going to shirk the challenge and look for more regular first-team football away from Ibrox, however, even with clubs south of the border expressing their interest.

According to the Daily Mail, Everton made two bids for Patterson in August, the first worth £5 million and the second worth £8 million.  

And with 33-year-old Seamus Coleman enduring a difficult season at Goodison Park – he gifted Mo Salah his second of the night during Everton’s 4-1 home defeat to Liverpool in the Merseyside derby – Everton may be tempted to renew their interest during the upcoming January transfer window. 

But Rae feels that, even if Everton are willing to stump up an eight-figure sum, Rangers will not be for budging. 

Are Everton set to miss out on Nathan Patterson?

“It’s a lot of money for a guy who hasn’t played a great deal of first-team football,” says Rae, who won a Premiership title and a League Cup with Rangers in 2005.

“You can clearly see what the boy brings to the table. 

“I’ve obviously given the academy a wee bit of stick over the years but you have to give them plenty of praise here. This kid is tremendous.

“They’ve knocked back £8 million or £9 million. If (Everton) come back with £10 million, is that really going to change their mind? I don’t think it will.”

The fact that Coleman is the only first-team right-back in Everton’s squad – not including the out-of-favour Jonjoe Kenny – is a damning indictment of the club’s much-criticised recruitment.

Financial Fair Play concerns scuppered a potential deal for Inter Milan’s Denzel Dumfries while links with Mexico international Jorge Sanchez came to nothing.