Former Rangers hero Derek McInnes insists Nathan Patterson will fetch as much as £25m if he eventually leaves Ibrox — as he can emulate Celtic graduate Kieran Tierney's monster fee.
The right-back's big task is to dislodge captain James Tavernier in Steven Gerrard's rearguard but that's easier said than done especially after Tavernier's excellent finish against Motherwell last weekend.
While he's only 20, Patterson has very much been in the transfer conversation with Everton interested in the summer and he's also a big part of Steve Clarke's Scotland contingent, too.
Time will tell if interest returns in January but McInnes has told those at Ibrox to sit tight and turn their young star into a player of the calibre of Tierney — who fetched £25m when he moved to Arsenal in 2018.
Writing in his Daily Mail column, McInnes said: "Patterson is a conundrum for Rangers. He is a talented boy and Steven Gerrard clearly has a high regard for him but it is so difficult for any manager to leave out his captain.
"Once again we saw the quality of James Tavernier at Motherwell last weekend with his volleyed goal. I can't think of another full-back who has scored 20-plus goals as he did last season.
"After Thursday's Europa League game in Denmark it might make sense to rest Tavernier and play Patterson at home to Ross County today. There has been instability in the Rangers defence this season with injuries to Filip Helander and Borna Barisic. Collectively they have not been as robust and assured in their work.
"When it comes down to the bigger matches, Gerrard is going to go with Tavernier. But the more games that stack up domestically and in Europe, the more minutes there will be for Patterson.
"Rangers knocked back a bid from Everton earlier this season and are in control of that situation. From a business point of view it makes sense to develop him. If they see him as a future mainstay you could potentially be talking the sort of money Celtic got for Tierney from Arsenal .
"Patience is maybe not the word everyone wants to hear but Nathan is still only 20. If he can keep a level head, hold his nerve and'sten to his manager the game time will come in due course.
"He can take confidence from being linked with big clubs and's lack of club action hasn't slowed his international progress. He started at home to Moldova and will hope to be involved in Chisinau this Friday .
"I used to go and watch Scotland at youth level because we had Dean Campbell and Ethan Ross involved and I would see Patterson. He sometimes played full-back, sometimes wide right. Then when Calvin came into our eyeline at Aberdeen I thought: 'He's just like the boy Patterson at Rangers!'
"There are similarities. Each has an inner confidence that lets them play with swagger in the opposition half. They back themselves and do their best work going forward .
"They probably need to get a bit tighter defensively, be a bit less rash but that comes with age. They have similar builds and in full flow they are both exciting."
