'I'm Surprised...' - Pundit taken aback by Rangers developments as late Tavernier exit claim made

James Tavernier has caused surprise by still being at Rangers as the transfer deadline approaches but he won’t be leaving at this late stage, according to Derek Ferguson.

The Ibrox captain was widely expected to move on from the club this summer with Trabzonspor the most prominent in the race to sign him.

A bid was rejected from the Turkish side [Sky Sports, 21 July] but talks continued and an improved offer was believed to have come in [The Rangers Review, 23 July].

Yet while vice-captain Connor Goldson did ultimately leave to Aris Limassol the situation went quiet with Tavernier and a last-gasp exit isn’t now expected [The Rangers Review, 27 August].

Ferguson thought the 32-year-old would be gone by now but believes Philippe Clement has decided he needs to keep a key leader in the squad and won’t leave him leave now.

He exclusively told Ibrox News: “I’m surprised that he’s still there but I don’t think he’s one of the players that would have been told, ‘You can go’. 

“With Tav, he’s the club captain and listen, he’s no playing at his best. I know they won handsomely at the weekend [against Ross County] but he still looks a little bit short.

“Time will tell on Sunday [against Celtic] but by all accounts he’s good in the dressing room, he’s well liked amongst the players and there’s a lot of respect there. 

“So I don’t think the manager would be looking to get rid of him but we all thought he’d be on his way out. There was talk about Saudi there was maybe going to be offers [from].

“I don’t think James Tavernier is going to leave the club now. The manager’s always talking about leaders, he needs leaders. He always talks about [Jack] Butland and he speaks about other players and I think James Tavernier comes into that so I don’t see that happening.”

James Tavernier set for stay under Philippe Clement at Rangers

Had the manager had the same manoeuvrability this summer that Michael Beale had a year ago there is surely a good chance Tavernier’s exit would have been sanctioned.

But with finances tight and Clement forced to wait for players to leave before he could bring signings in the Belgian may have seen it coming that his transfer overhaul would not be completed.

There is an argument that moving the captain on would have been a good way to break that deadlock given his indifferent form, but letting him go on top of finishing the window with an incomplete squad may have been a risk.

And if Trabzonspor ultimately didn’t meet the asking price then the point is moot, so the Englishman looks set to play out a decade at Ibrox and add to his record-breaking goals tally from defence.

In other Rangers news, another high-profile name is now on the verge of completing a late exit from the club.

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