Rangers on alert as update emerges over Steven Gerrard raid for James Tavernier Saudi transfer
Rangers have been “alerted” to the reports of an approach from Saudi Arabia for captain James Tavernier but have not yet had any contact, the Daily Record reports.
It emerged via 90min on Tuesday (4 July) that the 31-year-old is a target for multiple sides in the Saudi Pro League, and that former Ibrox boss Steven Gerrard, newly announced as manager of Al Ettifaq, was eyeing his former skipper.
Tavernier lifted the 55th title under the management of the former England captain two years ago before the 43-year-old subsequently left for Aston Villa.
However, according to the Daily Record the full-back’s camp and the Light Blues have yet to hear anything from Gerrard or Al Ettifaq over a move.
The latest update says: “Rangers top brass have also been alerted to reports that Gerrard could be plotting a move for skipper James Tavernier.
“But Record Sport understands that neither the club nor Tavernier’s agents have received any contact to discuss a possible switch.”
Concern?
The money on offer in the Middle Eastern leagues is sizeable and not least from Saudi Arabia currently, so it is impossible to write off the chances of any move being completed when their clubs are involved right now.
Gerrard himself had previously turned down the job but has subsequently made a “shock U-turn” [Fox Sports, 4 July] so if a hefty offer arrived for him to be reunited with Tavernier along with a bumper contract who’s to say what the outcome would be.
Michael Beale certainly won’t want to lose the defender, especially not just at the point where preseason is getting under way for the renewed assault on winning title 56.
Ethical concerns about Saudi moves haven’t stopped numerous top names already making the move, with Karim Benzema arguably the biggest this summer following former Real Madrid teammate Cristiano Ronaldo’s switch last season.
Celtic’s Jota has just left Glasgow for Al-Ittihad in a deal that is reported to earn him £10million-a-year tax free [Mail Plus, 29 June].
Tavernier wouldn’t have been agitating or even looking for a move during this window but if anything like that sort of jump up from SPFL wages were suddenly on offer it might change things.
It may just be that Gerrard is a known supporter of his former captain and has just landed a job at a club willing to spend money, so perhaps a bid never arrives.
From the sounds of things feelers haven’t even been put out but it is still early days, and should money be put on the table there could be a big decision to make.
In other Rangers news, after a slew of signings Beale will soon be looking to offload players to give himself a tighter unit with four first-team names at risk.