McLeish makes ‘amazing’ claim as Everton swoop for Coleman successor
Alex McLeish has suggested Everton may finally have identified a long-term replacement for Seamus Coleman in Rangers’ Nathan Patterson.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former Scotland boss admitted it was “amazing” the 19-year-old had attracted the Toffees’ attention after only a handful of appearances for the Gers.
Football Insider has learned from an Everton source that the club have tabled a £5million bid for Patterson and are pushing hard for his capture.
Club captain Coleman is currently Everton’s first-choice right-back.
The 32-year-old currently has Jonjoe Kenny as backup, while Mason Holgate has been used as a makeshift option in the past.
McLeish suggested Everton have been looking for a long-term Coleman replacement for “four or five years”.
He suggested Patterson could fill the void if he does join the Toffees.
McLeish told Football Insider’s Russell Edge: “Everton have probably been looking for the successor to Seamus Coleman now for the last four or five years.
“They have tried Jonjoe (Kenny), who went on loan to Celtic, and one or two others.
“They haven’t found the successor to the throne. There’s a touch of the Alan Huttons in Patterson, in his style of play after what we’ve seen.
“But he’s his own man. To attract attention like this from Everton is absolutely amazing.”
Patterson has only played 17 times for Rangers’ senior side to date.
Despite that, he has picked up two caps for Scotland already.
Coleman meanwhile 352 appearances for Everton and 59 for the Republic of Ireland under his belt.
In other news, pundit claims Premier League rivals kicking themselves after Everton player development.