David Moyes has utilised Jake O’Brien at right-back, and even James Garner has played there at the position, which leaves one defender’s minutes severely affected.
Everton’s squad planning for next season is already underway. David Moyes has guided the Toffees to eighth in the Premier League table, with European football still a realistic target. But behind the scenes, decisions are being made about players who don’t feature in the manager’s long-term plans.
One such player has barely featured this season. Limited to just 355 minutes across seven appearances, his future at Hill Dickinson Stadium looks increasingly uncertain. With a contract running until 2027, Everton hold some bargaining power. The question is whether they use it.
Sevilla identifies Patterson as top target
Spanish outlet Vamos Mi Sevilla FC reports that Sevilla are keeping a close eye on Everton right-back Nathan Patterson for the upcoming summer window. The club’s sporting director, Antonio Cordon, has placed the 24-year-old Scotland international at the top of his wishlist for next season.
Sevilla view Patterson as one of two main targets, alongside Getafe’s Juan Iglesias, who will be a free agent in June. Reports suggest Sevilla have already reached a verbal agreement with Iglesias, and they see Patterson as the perfect second piece of the puzzle.
This interest isn’t new. Rumours linked the two clubs back in January when Everton allegedly floated a deal involving €15m plus Patterson on loan for Sevilla’s rising star, Juanlu Sanchez. That move fell through when Juanlu decided to stay, but Cordon clearly hasn’t crossed Patterson’s name off his list.
Sevilla’s move is driven largely by their need to balance the books. The club plan to sell both Juanlu and Jose Angel Carmona this summer to bring in much-needed cash, which will leave manager Matias Almeyda looking for quality options on the right flank that won’t break the bank.
Loan or permanent sale? The dilemma for Everton
The Spanish side are looking to sign the Toffees man on loan, according to the report, as this allows them to sign a player with international potential without exceeding their salary cap.
But this leaves David Moyes with a tough call. Patterson has managed only 355 minutes across seven games this season, which says everything about where he currently sits in the pecking order. Jake O’Brien is ahead of him at right-back, and even James Garner has played there ahead of him this campaign.
With a contract running until 2027, Everton actually have some decent bargaining power. However, letting him go to Sevilla on loan, as the Spanish side wants, doesn’t do much for Everton. They wouldn’t get a transfer fee up front and would lose a player they could otherwise sell for cold, hard cash.
There is no doubt Patterson has talent. He is quick, aggressive in transition, and dangerous with his delivery from deep positions. But with Everton settled at Hill Dickinson Stadium and trying to build momentum, converting a peripheral figure commanding a €10m valuation into immediate transfer income makes sense.
Looking at the bigger picture, Moyes probably needs that money to bolster the centre of the pitch more than he needs a backup right-back who rarely plays. Selling Patterson permanently this summer is the smarter move for both the budget and the squad. Sevilla love a loan, and that would be their initial go-to idea, but in this case a permanent exit suits all parties.
