McLeish has intriguing take on Everton bid to sign Patterson after Rangers update
Alex McLeish has suggested Nathan Patterson’s agent may be putting Rangers under pressure after a reported bid from Everton.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former Gers boss admitted the teenager would be desperate to play regularly at Ibrox.
The Mirror claim (22nd August) Everton tabled a £5million offer for Patterson ahead of next week’s transfer deadline.
Steven Gerrard laughed off the prospective seven-figure fee as something “out of a joke book”.
McLeish admitted Premier League interest puts Patterson in an “awkward” position at Ibrox.
He is firmly Gerrard’s second-choice right-back behind club captain James Tavernier.
He suggested the teenager’s representatives would be pushing to get the youngster regular game time.
McLeish told Football Insider’s Russell Edge: “What he’ll be wanting to do as a young player is the desire to play every week.
“That’s what’s got him the attention. That’s what brought Stevie Gerrard’s attention to him. He was doing well for the young guys at Ibrox, good recommendations from the academy coaches.
“The fact that you’re getting bids from the Premier League, it makes it a bit awkward for you.
“There’s a necessity for guys like Patterson and his representatives to be saying: ‘We really need to be getting Nathan a regular spot in the first team.’
“Regardless of whether Rangers bite the bullet, they loan him out or something. It’s a tricky situation.
“James Tavernier’s the number one so how’s it going to work?”
Patterson has played once for Rangers since the start of the new campaign.
He has a total of 17 appearances under his belt, as well as two caps for Scotland.
In other news, a pundit has made a “season-defining” Rangers claim after Sky update from Ibrox.