Southampton should plot move for £28k-a-week Everton star - he can fit in Will Still system | OneFootball

Southampton should be lining up a move for Everton defender Nathan Patterson in the January transfer window.

The summer transfer window ended just over a month ago but EFL clubs will be making plans for January and Southampton should be among those planning ahead with a move for Everton defender Nathan Patterson one that Saints should be looking at.

Following their humiliating relegation from the Premier League last season, Southampton endured a very chaotic and busy summer in which several big name players eventually departed the club late in the window.

That left Saints, who appointed former Stade de Reims and Lens boss Will Still over the summer, scrambling towards the end of the window and bringing in several new faces.

As well as the likes of Finn Azaz, Tom Fellows and Leo Scienza, Saints also brought in former Brentford defender Mads Roerslev to bolster their defensive options.

However, Roerslev was dropped to the bench and was an unused substitute in their 1-1 draw with Derby County before the October international break and the constant switching between different formations may mean he ever becomes a guaranteed starter at St Mary’s.

One man who would seemingly be ideal to solve that problem for Still and Southampton would be Scotland international full-back Nathan Patterson.

Nathan Patterson could be ideal solution for Southampton

Over the summer, it became clear that Everton wanted to sign a new right-back with plenty of links to the likes of Kellan Fisher of Norwich City, as well as Ainsley Maitland-Niles at Olympique Lyonnais.

Seamus Coleman appears to now be well past his best and his Ireland international teammate Jake O’Brien has been deployed their throughout the campaign by Moyes, ahead of Patterson.

Patterson has had his fitness concerns and Moyes appears reluctant to start the former Rangers man, who joined Everton for a fee of around £10 million a few years ago.

Patterson was even linked with a move to Sevilla in the summer and it would be no surprise to see him moved on this summer, with him being deemed surplus to requirements at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

It would therefore seem to be a brilliant market opportunity for Southampton to pounce on the defender, who reportedly earns £28,000 per week according to Capology, whether it be on loan or on a permanent deal.

Nathan Patterson would fit the tactical variety of Will Still

During his time in France, at both Reims and then at Lens, Will Still occasionally switched his formation around but often played with a back three and wing-backs.

In the early stages of his time down on the south coast of England, the English-Belgian coach has used the back three but, following the influx of attackers before the close of the window, has now moved to a back four system.

Their most recent outing saw former Peterborough United centre-back Ronnie Edwards play out of position and on the right side of the defence against Derby.

Whilst a more than capable ball player, having Edwards as the right-back would seem to be far from the ideal solution to try and support either Ryan Fraser or Fellows on the right-wing.

Roerslev is a player who has proven his adaptability in the past to play at either right-back or wing-back and he is a useful squad utility player, but a lack of quality on the ball and overall pace and incision would also be an issue, the latter issue being similar to Edwards’ limitations in that role.

Patterson would offer Still an ideal solution to that problem with the Scotsman having been a wing-back on occasion for the Toffees but primarily with the Scotland national team, having come through as an attacking right-back in a back four for Rangers in the past.

Unlikely to force his way back into the Everton side, landing at a Southampton side that will believe they will be challenging for promotion in the second-half of the campaign would appear perfect for the 24-year-old to relaunch his career, whilst also providing Saints with the ideal profile of player for a Will Still style, regardless of the system he deploys.