image

Everton are said to be close to signing 16 year old midfielder Jack Patterson

Everton are said to be close to signing Jack Patterson, a 16-year-old midfielder from Northern Ireland’s Crusaders.

According to the Liverpool Echo, Everton are close to capturing Jack Patterson (16) from Crusaders FC.

Patterson is a product of the Crusaders youth academy. Despite his young age, Patterson has made great strides in his homeland. At the tender age of 15, Patterson made his senior debut for the club as a teenage midfielder and has made four appearances in the first team. He also played for the Northern Ireland youth team.

Everton had been interested in Patterson because of his potential and promise towards the end last year. While Everton did not have a sporting director, the Toffees were working to sign Patterson as a midfield prospect in January when Rafael Benitez was still manager.

Everton has since hired Frank Lampard as their first-team manager to replace Benitez, and Kevin Thelwell was named the director. Despite this change in management, Everton have continued to pursue Patterson and are close to completing their capture of him at the end of the season.

Premier League clubs including Everton are shifting their focus to recruiting the best young talent in British football, as they are now prohibited from signing players under 18 from EU countries.

Everton has already made significant progress in the British youth market. Last summer, the Toffees signed Dylan Graham (16-year-old goalkeeper) from Northern Irish club Ballymena United. The signing of Francis Okoronkwo, League One side Sunderland, was the next step.

Although Lampard may have struggled to bring things into order at the club’s, he showed that he is not afraid to trust in young players. At Chelsea, he gave opportunities to young stars who had potential and he is doing so at Everton. Anthony Gordon has become a key player for the club and Isaac Price, 18, has been part the matchday squads at times this term.

As things stand now, Patterson will likely be an Everton player in the summer transfer window. The Toffees may also be interested in Chris Rigg, a Sunderland teenager, and Brennan Johnson from Nottingham Forest, who could be drafted into the senior team.

Uploading
Select your currency
GBP Pound sterling
EUR Euro
P