Everton have completed the sale of Scotland international Nathan Patterson to Serie A side Torino, with the transfer going through for an undisclosed fee.
The move brings an end to a mixed spell on Merseyside for the 24-year-old right-back, who arrived at Goodison Park from Rangers in January 2022 in a deal reportedly worth £12m. Patterson had signed a five-and-a-half-year contract at the time, but he was never quite able to nail down a consistent starting role during his time with the club.
Injuries proved a significant obstacle throughout his Everton career. In total, Patterson featured in 68 matches for the Toffees, though 29 of those appearances came from the bench, including eight substitute outings last season alone. The disruption caused by fitness issues meant he rarely got the extended run in the side that might have allowed him to fully establish himself.
Despite the limited game time at club level, Patterson still managed to break into the Scotland setup, earning six caps for his country. He was part of the Scotland squad that competed in all three group matches at a recent World Cup, a notable achievement given his stop-start situation at Everton. He now has 29 caps to his name overall.
Coming into this season, there had been hope that Patterson could finally cement a regular place under fellow Scot David Moyes, who took the reins at Everton. However, that opportunity failed to materialise in any meaningful way. His sole appearance for the club this campaign came as a second-half substitute during Everton's 4-0 League Cup victory away at Preston North End last week, offering little indication that a breakthrough into the first XI was imminent.
With limited minutes on offer and his long-term future at Goodison Park looking uncertain, the move to Italy represents a fresh opportunity for Patterson to kick-start his career away from the Premier League. Torino, who compete in Serie A, have brought in the defender as they look to bolster their squad options.
Notably, Patterson will not be walking into an entirely unfamiliar dressing room in Turin. He joins fellow Scotland international Che Adams at the club, with the striker having made the switch to Torino himself following a summer in which his future was also the subject of considerable transfer speculation. The pairing of the two Scottish internationals could provide Patterson with a degree of familiarity as he adapts to life in a new league and country.
For Everton, the sale allows Moyes to reassess his options at right-back, a position where Patterson had been expected to compete for minutes this season. The club will now look to other options within the squad to fill that role as the campaign progresses.
As for Patterson, the move to Serie A offers a chance to rebuild momentum in his career after a period defined largely by injury setbacks and squad rotation. Whether he can establish himself as a regular starter in Italy remains to be seen, but the change of scenery may prove beneficial after a frustrating few years in England.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.