Former Rangers striker Zak Rudden believes Nathan Patterson has all the tools to make it at Ibrox in the long term and admits the Gers staff hugely rate the defender.
A product of the Rangers academy, the full-back made his debut in the club’s 2-0 win over Stranraer in the fourth round of Scottish Cup last month.
Patterson, 18, has been impressive in the development squad this season and Steven Gerrard gave the opportunity to the youngster to make his first senior appearance for the club in the cup game.
Rudden, who played alongside Patterson in the Rangers academy, believes the full-back has the ability and the potential to make it at Ibrox over the long term.
The striker has up close knowledge of the youngster’s talent and admits the Rangers coaching staff rate him.
He insists that Patterson is a threat going forward and can beat opposing players for fun, adding to the all-round package that the teenager boasts.
Rudden told The Athletic: “I think Nathan has a lot of potential. I think he could go far in his career as he’s calm and composed. The staff at Rangers really rate him.
“He would come up and play with us when I was at under-17 level and they’d throw him in at left-back and he’d cope with it perfectly fine.
"I always knew that there was something in him that could make a player.
“His best attribute is getting forward as he can glide past people for fun. It’s as if they’re not there the way he skips past them.
“As a striker, I thought he was good at crossing well and I think his defending is strong as well so there’s not much you can say is wrong with him."
Rudden though stressed that the 18-year-old still has to cope with the tough, physical nature of senior football.
“But he hasn’t come up against a top player yet so you don’t know how he’ll cope with the physicality until then.
“He’s slim but he’s actually really strong.”
Rangers booked their spot in the last eight of the Scottish Cup on Saturday and will play Hearts for a place in the semi-final.
