Rangers are considering a move to bring Nathan Patterson back to Ibrox, four and a half years after selling the right-back to Everton for £14m.
The 24-year-old has endured a nightmare run with injuries since moving south. Groin problems completely wrecked his 2025/26 season, leaving him with just seven Premier League appearances over the entire campaign. It has been the story of his time on Merseyside. Fragmented form, constant setbacks, and precious little time on the pitch.
Advertisement
Rangers target Nathan Patterson return as Everton exit looms
Unsurprisingly, Everton are open to business, though Rangers will not have a clear path to his signature. Bundesliga sides are also keeping tabs on the full-back, whose contract runs until June 2027. His current valuation sits around the €10m mark.
Does a return to Ibrox make sense?
Rangers need a right-back. That part of the equation is simple enough. The real question is whether Patterson still fits what the club are trying to build. He managed to earn a Scotland World Cup call-up this summer, proving the underlying quality is still there when his body holds up. But international friendlies are a world away from the weekly grind of the Scottish Premiership and Europa League group games.
Advertisement
The German interest is an interesting wrinkle. Bundesliga medical teams do not usually take silly risks on damaged goods. If they are willing to put money on the table after looking at his medical record, it suggests his physical issues might be manageable rather than permanent.
Financially, this only works for Rangers under specific conditions. Anything over £5m for a player who managed seven league games last season would be foolish. Pure gamble. But a structured deal? That changes things.
Smart business or risky gamble?
GLASGOW, SCOTLAND – MARCH 28: Nathan Patterson of Scotland is seen during an international friendly match between Scotland and Japan on March 28, 2026 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Advertisement
A loan move with an option to buy makes total sense. Give him six months to prove his groin and ankle issues are behind him. If he stays fit, trigger the clause.
His pace and athleticism made him a standout talent before he left Glasgow. Those attributes do not just vanish overnight. The talent is still sitting there, buried under four years of frustration and rehabilitation.
If Rangers get the structure right, they get an international-quality full-back ready to reignite his career. If they rush into a heavy permanent fee without guarantees over his physical ceiling, they are taking a massive punt they simply cannot afford.
Read the full article here