Rangers

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Now James Tavernier's imminent Rangers exit has been announced, a Scottish Premiership triumph presents the perfect opportunity to end his 11-year spell.

The right-back has already captained the Ibrox side to a Scottish top-flight title, as well as a Scottish Cup, League Cup and Europa League final.

The 34-year-old has insisted "this isn't the end just yet", with the team "fully focused on pushing for the league title".

And Rangers podcaster Scott Cameron feels a second top-flight crown would be a storybook ending for the long-serving right-back.

Speaking on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast, he said: "I think this is the time for him to leave in the summer, but that's not to say he can't have an impact across these last five games.

"He's come up with a lot of big moments for Rangers across his career and it would be the fairytale ending for him to lift the trophy on the final day of the season and bang a free-kick in the top corner that wins the league."

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Team-mates past and present have been paying tribute to James Tavernier after the Rangers skipper announced he will leave the club after 11 years this summer.

"Legend" was a a common theme, with current midfielder Nicolas Raskin and striker Bojan Miovski plus ex-team-mates Cyriel Dessers and Glen Kamara among those to choose that accolade on Instagram.

Former defender Leon Balogun was more expansive, saying: "Came as a young man, leaving as a legend! My skipper."

And ex-midfielder John Lundstram said: "One of the best, never ever hid in the hard times and delivered a the biggest times! Absolute legend."

Steven Gerrard, the manager who led Rangers to the league title in 2021 with Tavernier as skipper, opted for a love heart and applause emoji.

Former team-mate Jordan Jones said: "Incredible leader, player and person. Tav be proud skip."

And Steven Davis, a title-winning team-mate of Tavernier, added: "Incredible service to the club, drive the boys and make sure you get the send-off you deserve."

Martin Dowden
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Departing skipper James Tavernier's time at Rangers is an anomaly in a number of ways.

Eleven years' service at one club, most of those as captain, is increasingly rare in modern football, outside exceptions like Callum McGregor and James Forrest at Celtic. More so, as the long-serving full-back had no previous connection to Rangers.

Comparison with those figures is perhaps the thing that will frustrate the Englishman, and Rangers fans, most when he reflects on his time at Ibrox.

Too often, trophies eluded him as Celtic scooped them up. Preventing their Glasgow rivals winning 10 titles in a row was enormous but too often it was a case of close but no cigar and at Rangers, that's not good enough. The expectation is to win – the trophy return just doesn't reflect that demand.

That said, Tavernier was often dragging Rangers through difficult times near single-handedly. As Rangers churned through managers, the Englishman remained a steady, talented and significant constant. One wonders where they would have been on their turbulent journey without him at certain points?

His individual stats going forward are astonishing. His goals, his set-piece technique and assists a fountain of joy for the Rangers support. Defensively, he could be caught out but he more than delivered and often in big moments.

Too often, though, disappointment was the end result. He has faced criticism at times in his Rangers career and perhaps familiarity and a lack of silverware bred that, despite all his attributes.

At 34, it would seem the right call to depart. Tavernier commands a sizeable salary and his appearances and impact have diminished.

There will no doubt be real motivation from all at Rangers to send their captain off on the highest of highs with a second Premiership title to his name to further cement his position in the club's hall of fame.

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James Tavernier has confirmed his 11-year spell at Rangers will end this summer, but the captain insists "this isn't the end just yet", with the team "fully focused on pushing for the league title".

The 34-year-old, who joined from Wigan in 2015, confirmed earlier this week he had not yet been offered a new deal.

He has now revealed his time at Ibrox will conclude at the end of the season, which he hopes will end in a second Scottish Premiership title triumph.

"After a lot of thought, I've made the decision that this will be my final season at the club," Tavernier said on Instagram., external

"This hasn't been an easy decision. This club has been a huge part of my life and my family's over the past 11 years.

"It's given me so much, both on and off the pitch. From the moment I arrived, I've always tried to give everything I had to represent it in the right way.

"To have had the honour of being made captain of this club since 2018 is something I will always be incredibly proud of.

"Leading this team out, wearing the armband and being trusted in that role has meant more to me than I can properly put into words."

Tavernier has already captained Rangers to a Scottish top-flight title in 2021, as well as a Scottish Cup, a League Cup and a Europa League final.

He has achieved that while providing remarkable attacking output from right-back, contributing a combined goals and assists tally of 292 over 562 games.

Despite now not being a guaranteed starter, Tavernier has still featured from the off in 36 of his 49 appearances this term and is Rangers' top scorer with 14 goals.

Tavernier will hope to add another Premiership medal to his collection as Rangers go into their final five Premiership fixtures just one point behind leaders Hearts.

"We've shared the highs and the lows together and some truly incredible moments along the way," he added.

"These include lifting the Scottish Cup, League Cup, our journey to a European final and those unforgettable European nights at Ibrox against Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig, where the atmosphere was something I will never forget.

"It also includes winning the league title and delivering 55, a moment that meant everything to this club and its supporters and one I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

"This isn't the end just yet. There is still a season to finish and we are fully focused on pushing for the league title. I will continue to give absolutely everything, as I always have, until the very last day."

Rangers fans, what do you think of the news that Tavernier is departing after 11 years? And how will you reflect on his time at the club? Send us your thoughts.

We asked for your views on which Rangers player has been the biggest disappointment this season.

Here are some of your comments:

Alexander: I've been a bit disappointed in Andreas Skov Olsen. He has not shown in previous abilities. I hope Rangers do not squander £8m on this player.

Lee: Has to be John Souttar and Skov Olsen. Souttar has been really poor all season, whilst Skov Olsen arrived in January to much fanfare but hasn't made as much of an impact we would've wanted from him.

Chris: Unfortunately, there have been too many but Max Aarons is probably the worst followed by Oliver Antman, Nedim Bajrami and Skov Olsen. Fortunately, we managed to get rid of a few of the dross that Kevin Thelwell brought in.

Billy: Antman and Skov Olsen have been abject. Youssef Chermiti is far too inconsistent, but has the potential. Souttar has underperformed.

Alan: Skov Olsen has been the biggest disappointment. Coming with a big reputation and a good international pedigree, he has failed to live up to expectations and struggled for any kind of consistency. He would have to hit some big numbers to help bag us this title from here on out to even be considered for a permanent transfer.

Chris: Thelo Aasgaard has underperformed a lot this season. He is a young guy who came into a chaotic first-team environment and has shown some signs of improvement recently. He has been frustrating at times though as he has all the attributes to be a big impact player.

Gareth McAuley urges former club Rangers to sign 20-year-old Northern Ireland goalkeeper Pierce Charles, who is expected to leave Sheffield Wednesday this summer. (Record), external

Wednesday's Scottish gossip

Martin Dowden
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Gary McAllister is hoping for a Rangers triumph in a Scottish Premiership title race that will "go right to the wire" - but he expects his former side Motherwell "to have a big say".

The ex-Scotland midfielder was part of Steven Gerrard's backroom team when the Ibrox club last won Scotland's top flight five years ago.

Danny Rohl's men are currently just one point behind leaders Hearts, with Celtic three points off the summit in third.

"Everybody's paying attention to it because it's a three-horse race and not just two teams fighting for it," McAllister told BBC Scotland.

"I think Derek McInnes has done an amazing job. Hearts are not going away. They've had a good lead, they're still in front, and Celtic never go away.

"I think it'll go right to the wire. Obviously, having worked at Rangers with Steven and winning the last title to make it 55, I would like to see Rangers get 56."

Rangers' post-split schedule kicks off with the visit of Motherwell at Ibrox on Sunday (15:00 BST).

Former Liverpool player McAllister started his playing career at Fir Park and has been impressed with Jens Berthel Askou's side this term.

Many have predicted Askou's men will influence the title race with their ability to take points off the top three, and McAllister agrees.

"My old club here, Motherwell, they're going to have a big say because they've played some wonderful football this season," he added.

"I've been really impressed by them. They've fallen away a wee bit, but they've got a big say in where the title's going to end up."

Nick McPheat
BBC Sport Scotland

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The only Rangers player included in PFA Scotland's Premiership team of the season, Emmanuel Fernandez has now attracted reported interest from Arsenal.

Signed from Peterborough last summer in a heavily criticised and expensive transfer window, the 24-year-old took him to find his feet and started just one of Rangers' first 11 league matches.

Five months on, the centre-back's status has risen dramatically, and he is now regarded as one of the division's top defenders, with reports suggesting top European clubs are keeping tabs on the new Nigeria international.

So what do the numbers say about Fernandez's debut season in Scotland?

Rangers have kept clean sheets in nine of the 22 matches the defender has played in. They have also conceded 19 goals - 0.86 per game - across those fixtures.

Given he has started just 20 of Rangers' 33 Premiership games this term, Fernandez's defensive numbers stand out most when analysed on a per-90-minute basis.

Among defenders to have played at least 1,000 Premiership minutes this campaign, he ranks third for winning possession and fourth for headed clearances.

He also sits sixth for possession won in the midfield area, highlighting his ability to play in a high defensive line.

Fernandez is also on the verge of the top 10 for successful passes and ranks highly for aerial duels, having won an impressive 72% of his battles in the air.

He has excelled in the attacking side of his game too, proving to be a serious threat from Rangers' set-plays.

Despite not featuring in 11 of Rangers' league games this season, no Premiership centre-back has scored more goals than Fernandez's tally of five.

It will be that all-round package of defensive solidity and attacking output that is attracting interest from elsewhere.

In the meantime, Fernandez will be aiming to continue his impressive form as Rangers target the Premiership title, starting with their post-split opener at home to Motherwell on Sunday.

Last week we asked for your Rangers player of the year - and there was no splitting Nicolas Raskin and Mikey Moore.

Now we want to know the Ibrox player who has been the biggest disappointment this season.

It could be a new signing who has underwhelmed or an existing squad member who has failed to kick on.

Share your thoughts here.

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Arsenal lead the pursuit of Rangers defender Emmanuel Fernandez, with the Gunners closely monitoring the centre-half as a potential reinforcement for their backline, with Chelsea, Everton and West Ham United also interested in the 24-year-old Nigeria international. (TeamTalk), external

Ajax and Schalke want to sign Bailey Rice from Rangers, with the 19-year-old midfielder out of contract at the end of the season. (Fabrizio Romano on X), external

Former Rangers captain Barry Ferguson believes the club should be trying to keep Rice, saying the teenager has "got everything you would want in a midfielder". (Go Radio via Sun, external)

Tuesday's Scottish gossip

Ray Bradshaw will be joined by fans up and down the country on Monday for This Is Fans Only to discuss the weekend's biggest points.

Supporters will come on live and viewers will get the chance to join in on the debate, as well.

The show will be broadcast live on the BBC Sport Scottish Football YouTube channel at 18:00 BST.

To make sure you don't miss any bespoke video content, make sure to subscribe to the channel HERE, external.

Oscar Cortes is set to leave Rangers permanently as the 22-year-old winger does not feature in head coach Danny Rohl's plans for next season despite some impressive form on loan to Huracan. (Football Insider), external

Read Monday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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Rangers are set to demand at least £20m for defender Emmanuel Fernandez this summer as numerous Premier League clubs eye a move for his services (Football Insider)., external

Even winning the title this season will not change James Tavernier's legacy at Rangers, according to Charlie Adam (Herald), external.

BBC Scotland's chief sportswriter Tom English has been answering some of your questions on Rangers.

Brian asked: Can you give us your insight as to why both Rangers and Celtic appointed Russell Martin and Wilfried Nancy respectively. Just listening to the pair of them spout their nonsensical speak - I would call it guff - surely would put up so many red flags.

Tom answered: It never ceases to amaze me how very successful people on the boards of major football clubs can make the kind of decisions Rangers and Celtic made not just in appointing Martin and Nancy but in appointing the people who facilitated their appointment.

Martin interviewed well. I know somebody who was very close to the negotiations and, apparently, he spoke brilliantly. At one time, Davide Ancelotti was favourite, but Martin "blew us away" in his last chat before he was appointed.

The board's job is to cut through the fast talk and blue sky thinking, though. And they didn't. There was very little to suggest Martin was going to be a success at Rangers.

For me, he never understood his new reality in Glasgow and it did for him. A very, very costly decision, but it was one of many Rangers made. Kevin Thelwell?

As for Nancy. Again, he interviewed well. He said the right things. He offered a vision of fantastic attacking football, a reinvention of the wheel. And Celtic bought it. Maybe they thought he was the new Ange Postecoglou. Nancy - what a surreal chapter that was.

They also had Paul Tisdale in a senior position at the time and Tisdale was very much batting for Nancy. With Nancy, you have to look at Tisdale and if you look at Tisdale you have to look at the senior person/people at the club who thought he was a good appointment. Sometimes, this stuff baffles me.

Simon asked: Tom, do you think this season's exciting run-in will lead to higher TV rights income for Rangers in 2026/27? Our matchday receipts are currently our dominant source of income in contrast to EPL clubs. Higher broadcast income would enable us to buy higher calibre players.

Tom answered: No, Simon, I don't. First of all, the current main TV deal with Sky runs until 2028-29 so there won't be any extra cash coming regardless of how exciting a season it has been.

Secondly, for a club the size of Rangers, the Scottish TV money is relatively small in any event. The same goes for Celtic.

The cash cow is European football - obviously, Champions League is where the real loot is to be found, but Europa League is not to be sniffed at. And player trading. Domestic television revenues on their own are nice as a top-up to your transfer budget but that's about it.

Graham asked: Have Rangers made a mistake in giving John Souttar a new contract? He seems to have lost a yard and become a weak link.

Tom answered: He hasn't had a great season, has he? But I still rate him. He's in a bit of a mini-slump but he's a good player and I think he'll come good again.

The club were sensible to give him a new deal. A fully fit and confident Souttar is a strong asset.

BBC Scotland's chief sportswriter Tom English has been answering some of your questions on where Rangers are as we enter the business end of the season.

Will asked: Do you think Rangers' long-standing issues come down to more than just what's happened on the pitch? For years, it's felt like Rangers have been playing catch-up with Celtic, both on and off the field.

Tom answered: All Rangers' on-pitch problems throughout the years of Celtic dominance originated off the field with awful decision-making that led to poor performance, turbulence and financial waste.

They were in that vicious cycle for a very long time. Chairmen, chief execs, sporting directors, heads of recruitment, managers, players - it was a relentless churn.

All of it was brought about by a desperation to catch up with Celtic in the face of ferocious pressure from fans. They're in a better place now, I think. Celtic have in recent times lapsed into poor decision-making themselves and you can see the consequences.

Stewart asked: Do you feel the current ownership/investors will bring long-term success to the club?

Tom answered: You can't predict the future. Rangers, clearly, have money to spend and everything hinges on how smart they are in spending it. The same goes for Celtic and, in a different way, Hearts.

Hearts won't spend fortunes but their hopes depend on the accuracy of Jamestown Analytics in finding them some gems. It all comes down to decision-making.

Rangers have spent a lot of cash already and they'll go again in the summer, I believe. They'll have to because many loan players will leave and others are out of contract.

The summer will be pivotal for them. Money won't be a major problem for Rangers. They're okay on that front. It's getting the big calls right, it's recruitment, recruitment, recruitment. Only then can you begin to answer the question about short, medium or long-term success.

Ronald asked: Are Rangers good enough to win the league after that horrendous first half at Falkirk. Any repeat in any of our five games would be disastrous.

Tom answered: Can they win the league? Yes. Might they finish second? Yes. Could they fall away to third? Yes. And I'd say the exact same thing about Hearts and Celtic.

Against Falkirk, Rangers showed their split-personality. That first half was unreal. Rangers were appallingly bad. Properly hopeless with the ball, timid, lacking in every conceivable department.

Second half - everything turned about. They ran over the top of Falkirk like a team possessed. It was extraordinary.

So a team that's capable of such lows and highs is hard to predict. I'd say, right now, Rangers' ceiling is higher than the other two. But their floor? Worrying.

Celtic are just about getting by, just about staying in the fight. Hearts are looking very nervous to me. It's about nerve now as much as quality. The psychology of the whole thing is absolutely riveting.

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Rangers captain James Tavernier has set his side a title-clinching target of five wins from five after the split.

The Ibrox side, who were 13 points adrift of leaders Hearts when Danny Rohl took charge in October, are now just a point off the pace.

Rangers begin their post-split games at home to Motherwell next weekend while Hearts are at Easter Road for an Edinburgh derby against Hibernian and third-place Celtic host Falkirk.

But Tavernier insists his team aren't worrying about anyone else and have full concentration on picking up maximum points from their remaining games as they target a first title in five years.

"We can only focus on ourselves, we can't really focus on anyone else," the 34-year-old defender said.

"We've just got to get five wins and hopefully that takes us where we want to be at the end of the season.

"That's obviously the goal, and going forward we'd like clean sheets as well and not try and make the games harder for ourselves."

With no game this weekend, Rangers – like title rivals Hearts – are currently recharging their batteries for the run-in in the Spanish resort of La Manga.

"It's obviously just bonding time with the boys, getting closer together," said Tavernier.

"It's the last stretch now, so it's more about getting the boys really together because the only time we had this was probably pre-season.

"This is a time where we can spend five days with each other and just grow together and make sure we finish the season off strong."

Tavernier says Rohl's calm demeanour helped Rangers turn around a 2-0 deficit to head to Spain on the back of a 6-3 comeback win at Falkirk.

"Obviously it was night and day, performance wise, from the first half to second half," he said.

"We caused our own problems in the first half. But I thought the mentality and the resilience from the boys and the reaction, to get that first goal just before half-time and then the second-half performance was really strong from ourselves on a difficult surface against a difficult team."

"He [Rohl] obviously knows what the team can deliver, so there was a sense of calmness at half-time and I felt the boys really responded really well."

Rangers target Silas Andersen of BK Haken remains on FC Koln's list of potential replacements for midfielder Eric Martel, who is wanted by Celtic. (Inside Futbol), external

In the event of Rangers winning the title, Shakhtar Donetsk making it to the Conference League final could jeopardise the Ibrox side's chances of bypassing the Champions League play-off round. (Scottish Sun), external

Charlotte Cohen
BBC Sport Scotland

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Midfielder Nicolas Raskin and on-loan Tottenham winger Mikey Moore have split opinion among fans over who should be Rangers player of the year.

Raskin, who was phased out under previous boss Russell Martin, has become a key player in Danny Rohl's team as Rangers continue their push for the league title.

Moore, at just 18 years old, has also been impressing since joining on a temporary spell from the English Premier League outfit.

We've taken a look at the numbers behind both of their league campaigns so far.

Raskin has made 31 appearances in the Premiership this season, three more than Moore.

The Belgium midfielder has scored five times from midfield, while Moore has found the back of the net on six occasions.

In terms of assists, Raskin has set up seven goals - the third highest of any player in the division - while Moore has set up two. So between the pair, they have contributed to 20 of Rangers' 66 league goals (just over 30%).

They have both got themselves in good scoring positions - Raskin has scored four of his 10 big chances, with Moore scoring just one of his seven big chances.

Where the pair really excel is creatively - only James Tavernier has created more big chances at Rangers than Raskin (11) and Moore (seven).

Also, Raskin has created 43 chances (42 from open play) while Moore has created 33 (32 from open play), further highlighting the players' knack for making things happen.

The numbers clearly show why supporters have been impressed with both, but the remaining five games of the season will likely go a long way in deciding who the fans' favourite will be in May.

What would you like to ask Tom English about Rangers?

Our chief sports writer is in the hotseat ready to answer your questions and offer his insight and opinion on your club.

Answers will be provided on this page later in the week.

Put your questions to Tom here.

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We asked for your views on who has been Rangers' player of the season.

Here's what some of you said:

Chris: Best player of the year has to be Nicolas Raskin. The rest are a very mixed bunch and it seems they toss a coin beforehand to decide if this is going to be a good day or a bad. I nearly picked James Tavernier but the miss in that penalty shootout was too costly.

Steve: Mikey Moore has mostly been outstanding for us after a bit of a dodgy start and will get my vote for player of the season. He will be some player in the future, just a pity we won't be able to afford him. A mention also has to go out to Emmanuel Fernandez, what a player he is and the improvement has been astounding.

Bradley: Rangers' player of the year will be decided in the next five games where we will see which players can embrace the pressure and what it means to be a Rangers player. Moore is the front runner for me.

John: Player of the year is a hard call, Fernandez has shown up to become a very good player, Connor Barron was a stick on until his injury, Youssef Chermiti will be mentioned for his big game goals, but for me, it has to be Raskin. He has dragged us forward more than anyone else since Russell Martin's exit. If Danny Rohl doesn't try and get him on a longer contract, make him captain, and build his team around him, then I don't see any way we can dominate the league by replacing key players every summer. Him and Tochi Chukwuani are integral to our future success, get Nico signed long term and see this group developing.

Ross: I can't decide between two - Jack Butland and Raskin. Without Butland, especially during the Martin era, we might have found ourselves in a relegation battle this season instead of a title one. I have lost count of the number of times he has bailed out the sub-par defensive performances we now accept as standard. This is not to say he goes without his mistakes, but the positives far outweigh any errors. As for Nico, he's a bright spark of creativity and footballing positivity in the heart of our midfield. If we keep him, he's my pick for next captaincy. We owe almost all our season to something these two have done and, of course, the man at the wheel.

Jim: He's only played a handful of games but Tuur Rommens looks the part and has already contributed more than most others have over an entire season. Raskin is up there too - but has been too inconsistent.

John: Three very different candidates for player of the year at Rangers. Moore has to be up there for his performances over the season, contributing vital goals and assists. My next two choices could be polarising with Rangers fans but I believe Fernandez should be up there because in a mixed season he has been steadfast in central defence. Thirdly, again polarising, Chermiti. Although he has had a hard first season at Ibrox he has come up with the goods in vital games including against Celtic and Hearts that has propelled Rangers back into the title race. There is definite glimmers of the player he can be for Rangers going forward.