Patterson is future of club, says Goldson
CONNOR Goldson knows the siren song that carries on calling to Nathan Patterson will one day lure the young defender to the English Premier League.
As Sportsmail revealed yesterday, Everton are preparing a fresh move to land the right-back after having an £8million bid, plus add-ons, kicked out by Rangers in August.
Plenty of other suitors are expected to join the queue after a posse of scouts watched the 20-year-old Scotland international in the recent 3-2 World Cup qualifying win over Israel at Hampden.
Yet while Goldson believes it is inevitable that Patterson will showcase his talent on the big stage, right now he views the youngster as the future of the Ibrox club.
Amid the latest interest from Everton, the centre-half hopes the Scottish champions will pull out all the stops to ensure his young colleague continues his development in Glasgow beyond January’s transfer window.
‘The English Premier League is the biggest league in the world and, at some stage in his career, I know that Nathan will play at that level,’ said Goldson.
‘But I think, for now, Rangers need to do all they can to keep him here. All I can say for this football club is that I think Nathan Patterson is the future of it.
‘I think it’s important for him to play games and I think it’s important for this football club that he’s here for many years.
‘I think he’s an amazing player. I’ve really enjoyed playing next to him when he’s played. He’s a young boy full of energy but, at the same time, he’s got amazing qualities both going forward and defending.
‘He is one of the best young kids I’ve ever seen, especially defensively. I think, as a defender, it’s always hard when you are young. People have dips in their performances and make mistakes but, so far, since I’ve been around Nathan, he hasn’t done that.
‘Everyone I have spoken to about him speaks really highly of him.
‘He’s a credit to himself. He works so hard every day in training. You can see the attitude that he has got to learn and to improve.
‘In terms of advice, there is not much I can give him. It’s his own unique situation that he is in. But I think he’s the future of this football club and he’s a player that I hope Rangers keep for a long time.’
Goldson’s own future is up in the air at the moment. His contract expires next summer and, in January, he is free to speak to interested clubs about a move.
Steven Gerrard would love to keep the 28-year-old at Ibrox but Goldson is concentrating only on football and the resumption of Europa League football tonight.
Brondby are the visitors to Ibrox on Europa League matchday three, with Rangers needing three points after losing to Lyon and Sparta Prague in their opening two games.
Goldson said: ‘I haven’t really spoken to my agent or spoken to the club recently, so I really couldn’t tell you where (the contract talks) are at. I haven’t heard anything.
‘I’m just focused on the club, focused on playing football and making sure this football club wins. We’ve got a massive run of games, starting tonight. I need to be at my best and the team need to be at their best to win those games.
‘Brondby is a massive game for us. The first two games haven’t gone to plan. If we want to keep playing in Europe after Christmas, this game is a must-win.
‘We’re at Ibrox and we have already lost one of our home games, so we need to go on a run — and that starts tonight.’
Rangers have been wasteful in front of goal this season with Alfredo Morelos coming in for particular criticism from Gerrard yesterday for a return of five goals in 15 matches.
Frustrated by last Saturday’s 1-1 home draw with Hearts, Goldson believes his side’s luck is about to turn in front of goal.
‘It was good to play well at the weekend but we didn’t get three points so it’s disappointing,’ he said. ‘But I’m sure if we keep creating those chances then, eventually, we are going to start taking them.
‘When you play for Rangers, you need to win every single game of football. That’s just the demands and expectation levels at this club.’