Rangers are facing a pivotal transfer window this summer and whilst incomings are the focus, players continue to be linked away from Ibrox.
Nils Koppen is in charge of his first summer transfer window at Rangers and fans have high expectations.
Rangers came up short in the title race and Philippe Clement needs backing with considerable quality this summer.
Turning Michael Beale’s side into title challengers was progress in itself but Rangers had a real chance to take Celtic down and passed it up.
Rangers are now allowing a number of players to leave the club and there is a lot of experience departing Ibrox.
Borna Barisic, John Lundstram, Ryan Jack and Kemar Roofe are all in their 30’s and have played in big games for Rangers, but are now leaving at the end of their contracts.
Losing so much experience is something Rangers must bear in mind this summer – and one more Rangers regular is being linked with a cash exit.
Besiktas want Rangers captain James Tavernier
Those Rangers players are all being let go for free as their contracts come to an end, but James Tavernier is again being linked away in a move which would certainly require a fee.
Rangers supporters are surely used to seeing Tavernier being linked with joining a former manager at this point.
Just days ago, speculation suggested that Steven Gerrard would like to bring Tavernier to Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia.
This time, it’s Giovanni van Bronckhorst showing an interest in Tavernier.
Sozcu in Turkey report that Van Bronckhorst has asked Besiktas to sign two players for him – Rangers captain Tavernier and Ajax ace Steven Berghuis, who played under Van Bronckhorst at Feyenoord.
Besiktas have just appointed Van Bronckhorst as their new manager with the Dutchman looking to get his managerial career back on track having left Rangers in 2022.
Van Bronckhorst may well want to bring in a couple of signings who know what he is all about and Tavernier – alongside Berghuis – certainly fits that bill.
Tavernier is under contract for two more years but few could blame him if he wanted a new experience as he approaches his 33rd birthday.
The right back is approaching 10 years at Rangers and whilst we would be surprised to see a departure, a big move to Turkey could appeal at this stage in his career.
Tavernier record under Van Bronckhorst
Tavernier played 64 times under Van Bronckhorst at Rangers, playing a key role during the run to the Europa League final in 2022.
The right back’s record was simply incredible – as it has been for most of this Rangers career.
23 goals and 13 assists in those 64 games means Tavernier was producing a record even better than a goal involvement in every other game.
It’s no great surprise that Van Bronckhorst is still a huge fan of Tavernier after their time together at Ibrox.
Whether Rangers – or Tavernier himself – are interested in a summer deal remains to be seen, but the prospect of Besiktas surely appeals more than heading to Al-Ettifaq.
