AN often-forgotten highlight of the 2020-21 season was Nathan Patterson’s redemption.

His misdemeanours for Covid breaches led to an SFA suspension and a wide range of opinions about how Rangers should manage the situation: some even thought it should be the end of his time at the club.

Steven Gerrard took the complete opposite approach. While the manager presented a steely exterior to the media, Patterson was back in the team before his domestic ban ended. Appearing at half-time during the Royal Antwerp Europa League game, he scored within 20 seconds of being on the pitch. Despite relentless media scrutiny and pressure, he stood up to it all and showed an on-pitch maturity well beyond his years.

Gerrard rated Patterson very highly. It would be easy to debate the former manager’s reticence to give youth a chance, but Patterson was the only player from the academy that worked his way into the plans during his three and a half year tenure.

The speed of his return to the team following his bout of youth-fuelled naivety was all the evidence required for Gerrard’s thoughts about Patterson. It would have been easy to bomb him out, send him on loan, and reduce him to a distant memory.

Yet he remained involved, playing intermittently and will always be a part of the 55 title-winning team. Gerrard correctly raved about him and baulked at the idea of him leaving for £5 million.

The undeniable talent was there for all to see, but Patterson met a brick wall at Ibrox that couldn’t be scaled: James Tavernier.

Tavernier’s presence was a constant spectre that haunted Patterson’s route into the team. It is to the youngster’s credit that it didn’t appear to hamper his development or attitude as his standards were always impeccable when he was given a chance, but internally the frustration at being unable to get a consistent run in the team must have existed.

Debates about how both Tavernier and Patterson could fit into the team regularly arose, but the fact that this only happened once and was due to injuries show it was never a realistic proposition. Perhaps van Bronckhorst’s natural width higher up the pitch could have allowed for this under the new manager, but ultimately both are right-backs and shoehorning one in elsewhere could have impacted performances.

A rarer discussion was the prospect that Patterson could actually dislodge Tavernier from the team to have an extended run in the side. Undoubtedly, some did suggest it in response to Tavernier’s involvement in sloppy goals conceded but it’s not been realistically discussed at length.

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If Everton fans have any caution over the expected move of Nathan Patterson to Merseyside, it will be about his lack of game time and his inability to find a starting spot. But in doing so, they will be misunderstanding the importance of James Tavernier to Rangers.

The captain is having another splendid season in royal blue. As he transitions into his fourth permanent manager during his time at the club, Tavernier is once more showing how vital and adaptable he is based on what is asked of him.

Tavernier has taken to the more reserved right back role under Gio incredibly well, showing defensive attributes that many believe he did not possess. When required, he is still an excellent crosser of the ball, set-piece taker, and his penalty against Dundee United gave a glimpse that his composure from the spot has returned.

He continues to return incredible stats for the team. 11 assists during the first half of 2021/22 has taken him above 100 for the club. Add that to his 69 goals and he is averaging a goal or assist every 162 minutes. Aside from the world’s very best players, that is a statistic that just about any player in any position would be extremely proud of. To do that over the course of seven seasons from right-back make the feat even more remarkable.

Tavernier signed a new contract until 2024 last year and there’s nothing to suggest he won’t honour that. There’s also nothing to indicate his performances are suffering as he moves into his 30s. The drive of the captain can be so critical to how Rangers play, even with the evident talent of Patterson it would not be worth the risk of playing without him.

If and when Patterson leaves, there may be a hint of 'what if we had seen him at his best?', but that will be quickly wafted away by the stone-cold reality of the deal. The figures reported read like excellent business. While Patterson could continue to flourish into a phenomenal talent at Ibrox, the 'what if his development stalls?' question would follow him.

What then makes the deal a no-brainer is the captain. This won’t have any significant impact on the team. Tavernier was and remains the best right-back at the club. It won’t cost much to find a backup full-back, because it would take something extraordinary to budge Tavernier from the team.

It’s now up to Ross Wilson to find the next Patterson.

Fans will have a keen eye on the Scottish international’s development in the EPL, not only out of well-wishing, but because it will also dictate what Rangers can ask of clubs in future.

It won’t be very often Rangers will break the transfer record for a player sold and it won’t be painful - for now let’s be thankful James Tavernier can make this one so painless.