Rangers news: ‘Money’s dried up’ claim issued by Alex McLeish after Stewart Robertson reveal
Rangers couldn’t turn down Everton’s advances for Nathan Patterson after the “money dried up” at Ibrox last season, according to Alex McLeish.
The former Gers boss, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, suggested the Glasgow giants had a “price in mind” for the 20-year-old going into the January window.
Patterson joined Everton from the Ibrox club for an initial club-record fee of £12million last month, with the fee potentially rising to £16million after add-ons.
Rangers managing director Stewart Robertson told Sky Sports on Tuesday (15 February) that the club are in the “best position it’s been in since 2015”.
Robertson hinted that the sale of Patterson last month, among other “player trading”, was a “key part” of putting the club in that position.
McLeish suggested the marquee sale had been a long time coming.
He told Football Insider‘s Russell Edge: “How many times have we thought that players were going to leave but it didn’t quite happen?
“We wondered how the club could keep bankrolling itself to sustain the challenge at the top of the table.
“They backed the likes of Steven Gerrard pretty well during his time here, but the money dried up towards the end of last season.
“And then, hey presto – a deal comes from the Premier League. When those clubs come calling, it’s difficult to keep them at bay. There obviously was a price in mind for Patterson.
“The fact that Everton paid £12m, rising to £16m – they just couldn’t turn it down, especially considering they have James Tavernier in front of him.”
Rangers spent just £2million during the summer transfer window at the start of this season.
The Ibrox club sit second in the Scottish Premiership, trailing Celtic by one point.
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