B B C Sports: Nathan Patterson can finally end Rangers exit deja vu as Everton transfer trigger leaves David Moyes to fulfil pledge.

Nathan Patterson, a fringe player, could finally be handed the opportunity to start his career away from Everton, with the club apparently looking to acquire a new right defender. The 23-year-old has only made four substitute Premier League appearances this season, and sources say he is considering leaving Goodison Park this month to enhance his playing time as he attempts to catch Steve Clarke’s attention and return to the Scotland squad. He made a rare start for the club in their 2-0 FA Cup win over Peterborough, but was quickly moved to the bench by new manager David Moyes for his first game in charge.

And following Wednesday night’s 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa, in which Ashley Young started ahead of the former Rangers player, the Toffees are thought to be looking for a replacement right-back. According to Dutch reports, the club has “given the green light” to Devyne Rensch, an Ajax defender. The 21-year-old is out of contract in the summer, and the Dutch giants are expected to cash in this month. Patterson could get his wish, since former manager Sean Dyche has stated that he will only be allowed to depart if a replacement is found.

Before being told the door, he stated last month: “At the end of the day, our situation here is that we will not be letting anyone go unless we absolutely have to. Unless, of course, we can exchange and alter. We want to keep the squad; we’ve experienced injuries and have been stretched thin.”