Rangers have opened talks to sign USA international James Sands as a replacement for Nathan Patterson as the Ibrox starlet nears a £10 million move to Premier League strugglers Everton, as reported by The Mail.
While not everyone in the blue half of Glasgow will be pleased to see Rangers’ most exciting academy graduate in recent memory depart before he has even scratched the surface of his potential, this is a deal that, on paper at least, makes a fair bit of sense.
Patterson, at just 20 and with a grand total of 15 first-team starts under his belt, is set to become the most expensive export in Rangers history.
An Everton side crying out for reinforcements at right-back have struck a deal that will see the Scotland starlet arrive at Goodison Park in a deal worth £10 million.
And, in his place, Rangers could bring in a more accomplished player for a fraction of the price. According to The Mail, talks are now underway regarding a move for New York City FC ace Sands.
Will James Sands replace Nathan Patterson at Everton?
At 21, Sands is only a few months older than Patterson.
But, having made 65 Major League Soccer appearances since forcing his way into the first-team picture back in 2017, the New York-born full-back will offer a more experienced alternative to captain James Tavernier in Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s squad.
It is understood that Sands, who won the MLS Cup in 2021, will arrive on an 18-month loan deal with talks heading in the right direction.
“He’s a special talent that we have in our football club,” former NYFC coach Patrick Vieira once said of Sands, who was also described by Spain legend and one-time team-mate David Villa as an ‘amazing guy’.
Rangers are also looking further forward for new additions with Bologna winger Andreas Skov Olsen and Galatasaray’s Olimpiu Morutan among those linked recently.
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