Everton are on the verge of signing Crusaders teenager Jack Patterson amid interest from Leeds United, Rangers and West Ham United.
That’s according to the Liverpool Echo, who claim that Patterson is on the verge of joining Everton.
It’s claimed that Everton first teed up a deal for Patterson in the January transfer window.
At that time, Everton didn’t have a director of football. Kevin Thelwell has been appointed into this role since then.
Thelwell is still allowing the Patterson move to go through though as the teenager prepares to make the move to Merseyside.
Patterson, 16, has already played first-team football with Crusaders and will now head into Everton’s development ranks.
Hailed for his ‘excellent’ distribution of the ball through midfield, Patterson is being backed for a huge future.
This feels like a major addition for Everton’s youth ranks and something of a coup given the other clubs in the mix.
Back in January, the Belfast Telegraph reported that West Ham United and Leeds United both wanted to sign Patterson.
Rangers were also keen and you can absolutely understand why those clubs were in the mix.
West Ham recently looked to the Northern Irish youth market by signing Callum Marshall from Linfield and wanted Patterson to follow.
Leeds United have a Northern Irish star in Stuart Dallas and also raided Linfield in 2020 by signing midfielder Charlie Allen.
As for Rangers, they have a host of Northern Irish talent in their ranks; Charlie McCann, Charlie Lindsay, Lewis MacKinnon, Ross McCausland and Kyle McClelland all fit the bill.
All three clubs have been looking to Northern Irish players of late and seemingly picked out Patterson as another potential addition.
Instead, Everton have won the race and will hope to see the teenage midfielder become a star in the coming years.
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