Since leaving Rangers Nathan Patterson’s career at Goodison Park hasn’t quite gone to plan.
The Scotland international moved to the Premier League in 2021 and, in the process brought in a then record transfer fee said to be in the region of £15m including add-ons.
Not many players leave Rangers and go on to bigger and better things, however, in Nathan Patterson’s case it hasn’t been down to anything other than bad luck as Sean Dyche has revealed in his latest press conference.
READ MORE: Rangers all-time record transfer sales including whopping £20m departure
Rangers exit a painful experience for Nathan Patterson
The Everton boss and Patterson haven’t always enjoyed the best relationship.
Shortly after joining the Toffees, Dyche made a bizarre claim about a player who was an established international and who had score in the knockout stages off the Europa League:
“Obviously at the minute it’s going to be a fast-track learning but there are a few players out there – Patto is a young player still, you forget that – they’re developing players, they’re not rounded Premier League bona fide players, they’ve got to develop and learn about that.”
Then, there was the recent team-bonding trip which didn’t quite go to plan when Dyche playfully slapped his number two on the head:
“I tapped him on the head like an older brother would and he didn’t get the joke. It’s really that simple.”
It’s never been plain sailing for Nathan Patterson since leaving Rangers and it looks like his luck isn’t improving with Sean Dyche telling the BBC:
“Patts is out for the season. He will need surgery. It’s very unfortunate, a very unfortunate injury. We are disappointed in that one for him as much as us.”
Patterson faces fitness race for European Championships
Dyche’s update is a bitter blow for the player, however, it will also be frustrating for Steve Clarke.
The Scotland manager now has both of his first-choice right backs unlikely to play again this season with Aaron Hickey also out for Brentford.
When Nathan Patterson first burst onto the scene for at Ibrox it seemed as if he had the world at his feet.
At the time, he was genuinely pressuring James Tavernier for the starting right back berth.
What excited fans was his sheer athleticism, pace and work rate but it looks like his body is yet to fully adapt to the demands of playing senior football as a teenager.
Some players take longer than others to develop and Patterson has already had ankle, knee and hamstring muscle surgery at the age of just 22.
The human body tends not to be able to ever return to 100% once the surgeon’s knife starts interfering with it.
Clarke has been very loyal in his time as Scotland boss and Patterson, if he can get fit enough for the international friendlies at the end of the season, might be in with a chance of making the squad for the European Championships.
If not, getting fully fit and making the Everton right back role his own has to be his priority for next season, so that his potential can be fully realised.
