Luckless 23-cap Scotland star lined up for shock La Liga switch in bid to make Steve Clarke's World Cup squad
The former £11million Rangers star is on the verge of a shock move to Spain, according to reports.
Ex-Rangers star Nathan Patterson is being tipped for a shock move to Spain, where he’ll hope a fresh start will spark his return to Steve Clarke’s Scotland squad for this summer’s World Cup.
The 24-year-old has barely featured for Everton this season, making just three league appearances. It is now reported that the Toffees are open to allowing the defender to leave the club on loan, with Patterson in need of regular first-team football following a turbulent time with injury.
Capped 23 times by the national team, Patterson first moved to Merseyside in January 2022, with the English Premier League side paying a fee in the region of £11million to Rangers after a series of impressive displays at Ibrox while still a teenager. However, his time at Everton has been disrupted by a series of injury issues that have restricted him to fewer than 20 appearances in the last 18 months.
He was sidelined for almost a year with a serious hamstring injury he suffered in April 2024, an injury that cost him a place in Scotland’s Euro 2024 squad, and has played just 32 minutes of international football in the last 21 months, with two late substitute appearances in the friendlies against Iceland and Liechtenstein last summer his only involvement.
Patterson’s current contract at the Hill Dickinson Stadium runs until 2027. However, after failing to resurrect his Everton career under David Moyes, he is believed to be available on a loan deal until the end of the season, with La Liga giants Sevilla thought to have renewed their interest in the Scottish defender following tentative talks over a move for him during the summer.
Both Lazio and Bologna are also credited with an interest in the former Ibrox academy product. Los Rojiblancos are believed to be front-runners for his signature, though, with Sky Sports reporting that the Spanish top-flight outfit have been monitoring Patterson's situation in recent weeks amid serious interest in striking a deal.
With just six months to go until Scotland begin their World Cup adventure in the United States against Haiti in Boston, Patterson will be hopeful of reclaiming a spot in the squad. He will be desperate to play more regularly to fight off stiff competition for the right-back berth from Brentford’s Aaron Hickey, Celtic’s Anthony Ralston, Derby County’s Max Johnston, and Bristol City’s Ross McCrorie.
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