James Tavernier is at the centre of plenty of discussion at Rangers at the moment.
The Ibrox captain, 32, could well be on his way out of the door this summer amid high-profile links to Saudi Arabia.
It would mark the end of an era given James Tavernier has been at Rangers for a quite remarkable nine years, with the right-back’s contribution to the club legendary.
From the Scottish Championship to 55, Seville, and everything in between, one fan media outlet has claimed that a move to the Middle East is ON in a summer of sweeping Ibrox change.
Now, James Tavernier has added fuel to the fire by uploading a post to social media platform Instagram which has also got fans talking.
Tavernier takes to Instagram
How and what footballers post on social media it the subject of much debate in football, not just at Rangers.
But with the Ibrox side once again blowing their domestic opportunity when it came to the crunch last season, the online activity of the club’s footballers is under immense scrutiny.
Rangers pair Todd Cantwell and Fabio Silva were roundly criticised for their self-promotional social media posts after the side’s title collapse last season.
Now, the club’s captain and leader James Tavernier faces the same level of scrutiny.
Posting a highlight reel from a season which promised so much but delivered so little has been viewed by many as an error of judgement.
The fact James Tavernier disabled the comments on the post also suggests that he knew a backlash was inevitable.
It’s once again sparked a debate surrounding the Rangers captain with some saying such a post is not becoming of the mentality required to win in Glasgow.
Others believe the post is a cryptic statement about Tavernier’s intention to stick around next season and that’s certainly in keeping with the right-back’s previous comments.
The Rangers skipper has previously been clear he wants to stick around and play in a testimonial in his 10th season with the club.
End of the road for the Rangers captain?
The situation with James Tavernier comes during a summer of substantial change in Glasgow.
Rangers have already released five senior players and a combined 750 appearances this summer with the likes of John Lundstram, Ryan Jack, Kemar Roofe and Borna Barisic all leaving.
Whilst the club’s management have been clear there is going to be a rebuild this summer such substantial upheaval threatens to derail our preparations ahead of next season.
But if James Tavernier is to move on this summer then Rangers already have the versatile and talented Dujon Sterling available in his position.
Links to West Ham’s Ben Johnson also persist but for the time being it is genuinely hard to perceive a Rangers without the club’s skipper next season.
After 460 appearances, 254 goal contributions and one Scottish Premiership title, is it really the end of the road?
