Everton agree deal to sign Rangers right-back Nathan Patterson

Everton have agreed a deal to sign 20-year-old Rangers right-back Nathan Patterson for an initial £12m fee, 90min can confirm.

The Toffees have been busy this January, having already added Ukrainian left-back Vitaliy Mykolenko for £17m.

Patterson will be Everton's second signing of the January transfer window and sources have confirmed to 90min that the 20-year-old will become the club's record sale, with his move to Goodison Park set to be work £12m plus add-ons.

It marks the end of Everton's six-month pursuit of Patterson, which began with a summer bid of £5m which was described as a 'joke' by then-manager Steven Gerrard.

While not a regular starter at Rangers because of the presence of club captain James Tavernier ahead of him in the right-back pecking order, Patterson is a full Scotland international who is highly rated by those in charge of the national team.

Scouts from clubs across England have been tracking Patterson for a while now. Alongside Everton, the Scot has been watched by Aston Villa, Manchester United and Wolverhampton Wanderers, but most suitors wanted to wait until the summer to strike a deal.

Toffees boss Rafa Benitez was not prepared to be patient, having identified both full-back positions as areas of concern during the team's tumble down the Premier League standings, so they have moved now to get a deal done.

Everton hope to recover some money with the sale of left-back Lucas Digne, who remains out of Benitez's plans following a fall-out with the boss.

90min understands that Chelsea are ready to move for the Frenchman as they look for cover for Ben Chilwell, whose season is over after undergoing knee surgery which could see him miss the start of the 2022/23 campaign.


Source : 90min