Everton are prepared to listen to offers for Nathan Patterson this summer, but only if they first bring in at least one new right-back. The 24-year-old has never fully nailed down a place in Everton’s starting XI, and the club are now weighing five different options as they decide how to reshape that side of the pitch.
Patterson’s situation matters because this is no routine squad tidy-up. He moved from Glasgow to Merseyside in 2022 for around £12million, but this season he managed only seven Premier League appearances and started just three times. Jake O’Brien has been Everton’s main man at right-back since 2024, which has left Patterson looking increasingly vulnerable as the club plan ahead.
That is why his name is already back in circulation. Rangers are keeping tabs on his situation and view him as a possible alternative if they miss out on Bryan Reynolds, while Patterson himself will hope to make an impression for Scotland in the World Cup. He also came close to leaving before, with moves to Sevilla last summer and Genoa in January both coming close without being completed.
Everton’s problem is straightforward: they want flexibility, but they do not want to weaken the position before they reinforce it. That means Patterson can go only after a replacement is lined up, even though the club have already identified several candidates. Aaron Wan-Bissaka has been discussed with West Ham and could be available for around £15million, Guela Doue has been on Everton’s radar for the past 12 months and is expected to leave Strasbourg this summer, Ben White remains under consideration, and Raoul Bellanova is also in the mix at Atalanta.
One of those names is likely to be first through the door, but Everton have not yet committed to which one. The timing now points to a familiar transfer-chain move: sign the right-back first, then decide whether Patterson’s next step is away from Everton.
