Big 3 Euro giants on alert for late Tavernier exit at Rangers, talks held - report

James Tavernier is wanted by all of Turkey’s Big Three as clubs have been alerted to a possible Rangers exit after the Old Firm derby, according to HITC.

The outlet reported on their website (6 September) that both Galatasaray and Fenerbahce have held discussions over a move for the Gers captain ahead of the close of the Turkish transfer window, while the third Istanbul giant, Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s Besiktas, are also monitoring the situation.

Despite the deadline passing a week ago in the Scottish Premiership the fallout from the 3-0 loss to Celtic has put the prospect of Tavernier leaving back on the table.

Two Qatari clubs are also eyeing a move and Rangers are willing to consider bids to let him go.

Rangers captain could exit Ibrox after Celtic fallout

A departure for Turkey was widely believed to be on the cards once last season ended in disappointment, with Trabzonspor looking to add Tavernier to their free transfer signings of John Lundstram and Borna Barisic [The Rangers Review, 23 July].

At least one bid was rejected during the summer but the toxic atmosphere around the Light Blues after a miserable loss across the city might have softened the resolve of the club and the captain.

He may have believed he had another good year in him to round out a decade in Glasgow, and Philippe Clement may have been confident in him going forward since the right offer apparently didn’t arrive over recent months.

But since an exit has been on the agenda, and his form has been so far off his best, the way the campaign has already taken such a turn in Scotland could have shifted the landscape back towards that possibility.

Things would surely have had to get pretty bad behind the scenes for Clement and Tavernier to both be ready to give the go ahead to a move that would leave the Belgian’s even shorter until January though.

The 32-year-old right-back has long been a lightning rod for criticism, some justified and some not, so the current situation can’t have come as a complete shock.

It would be an unexpected turn so soon after the window closed in Scotland but after the Trabzonspor move went cold it appears the matter is now an active question again.

Van Bronckhorst was said to be interested earlier this summer [Takvim, 20 July] and the Dutchman was in charge for Tavernier’s stunning goal-scoring run on the way to the Europa League final, so there might be some attraction to the move.

In other Rangers news, Jim White was shocked by Martin O’Neill’s damning Light Blues claim live on air.

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