Former Rangers star Nathan Patterson is “frustrated” about an ankle injury that means he will have to wait until at least next season to make his Premier League debut with Everton.
The 20-year-old full-back is yet to make an appearance for the Toffees in the English top flight since making a £12m-rising-to-£16m move down south in January.
But after starring for the Scotland national team during the 1-1 draw with Poland in the recent break, the ex-Ibrox kid had just had to undergo surgery on an ankle problem.
This, according to manager Frank Lampard, is of great frustration to Nathan Patterson who has struggled to break into a toiling Goodison Park side.
“Patterson will be out for a certain period of time,” said Frank Lampard, via quotes by the Daily Record.
“He’s been down to see a specialist about his ankle and we’re looking at having a small operation this week. So, he’ll be out.”
In additional quotes in the Liverpool Echo, Lampard said:
“He was due to make his debut, he knew that. That’s the big disappointment.
“He’s a bit frustrated, but the timing means he’ll have the summer to really get over it. He’ll get the right support in the short term and he’ll be back.”
Premier League status of Everton and Nathan Patterson hangs in balance
Everton could well have done with integrating Nathan Patterson into their playing squad sooner given their current issues in the English Premier League.
One of the most expensively assembled squads in the competition, Everton have had a woeful season and find themselves just outside of the relegation zone in 17th place.
Whilst the likes of Watford, Burnley and Norwich City are in a worse off position, with only ten games left of their season a failure to secure the right results could be costly.
At the beginning of the season it was unthinkable that Everton would be in this position and probably for Nathan Patterson when he left Rangers for the club.
If things do go south for Frank Lampard’s team, it also means it could be 18 months between Nathan Patterson joining the club and the right-back making his Premier League debut.
And that’s if the Toffees were to bounce straight back up…
Meanwhile, will Rangers rue not investing more of the Nathan Patterson money in the playing squad?