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Nathan Patterson to Everton sale makes sense as transfer speculation increases

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Image for Nathan Patterson to Everton sale makes sense as transfer speculation increases

Nathan Patterson is a very talented young player and one that no Rangers supporter is in a hurry to see, leave Ibrox.

That could come to fruition next month though, with a switch to Merseyside on the cards as Everton reignite their interest.

Having emerged on the scene as a capable and adept operator on the right flank, he was proved his worth already for Rangers and arguably, to a greater extent for Scotland. Looking forward, there is still massive potential for the Auchenhowie graduate to fulfill given that he is just 20-years old.

In that sense, he has got more than enough time on his side to do what he intends to in football but from a Rangers perspective, timing appears to be set against him.

His breakthrough has come at a time when James Tavernier is a bedrock at the club, the captain has been a colossus in terms of his output and value to Rangers in an attacking sense through the Steven Gerrard reign. This has continued into the new regime under Giovanni van Bronckhorst, a manager who prefers his full-backs to be more restrained compared to his predecessor, pinning them 10 yards further back with less of an emphasis on attack. This will suit an ageing Tavernier, Patterson not so much.

Finance

There are supporters out there who are adamant that Patterson should not be sold, that he is only getting better and is possibly already better than the skipper however the choices of Gerrard and GvB do not support that opinion.

It is clear that the young Scot’s value is only likely to increase as he gets older and develops further. Yes, he could and should be Rangers man for the next five years but there here and now matters more, this has to be a decision of pragmatism.

We currently have an asset worth at least £10 million sitting on the bench – he is too good to stay there much longer but he will not replace Tavernier in the short term. Yes, it will be a sore one if Patterson departs and his Ibrox career finishes so soon but his sale could be the makeweight to reinvest in order to land the golden egg that is Champions League qualification. This could be done without affecting the balance of the team, in the same way that the sale of Joe Aribo or Glen Kamara would.

It makes sense and this has to be a decision of pragmatism, of what is best for the club, now.

The player trading model has to get that kick-start and the Rangers fans need to get accustomed to selling players when their stock is high, that is where the stakes are at.

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