Keith Jackson says Rangers must move on from James Tavernier this summer
Keith Jackson has insisted that James Tavernier represents the losing culture which has plagued Rangers this season, with his time come and gone.
Writing in the Daily Record after the Gers lost 1-0 to Celtic in the Scottish Cup Final, Jackson said that Clement should make Dujon Sterling his first-choice right-back even if Tavernier stays at the club this summer.
Tavernier has been the captain since 2018 and scored an astonishing 125 goals at Ibrox, but Jackson believes a change is needed in his position as part of Clement’s summer overhaul.
Jackson said: “(Sterling) should start next season as the first choice right back, even if captain James Tavernier is not lured away by oil-stained riches in Saudi Arabia.
“Tavernier’s time has come and gone. A significant servant and phenomenal contributor, but the poster boy for the culture of close-but-not-cigar merchants that Rangers have become during his time at the club.”
Tavernier could be casualty of summer Rangers rebuild
Rangers could line up with an almost entirely different-looking starting side to the one which trudged onto Hampden Park against Celtic on Saturday (25 May), with Clement planning a huge squad overhaul.
Having already signed Brazilian left-back Jefte and Panama centre-back Jose Cordoba on the brink of an Ibrox arrival, the defence appears to be the priority for the Belgian, and that could spell doom for Tavernier’s future.
Sterling has been one of the Gers’ best performers this season, albeit as a makeshift left-back or right-winger owing to Tavernier’s undroppable status as a right-back, captain and set-piece taker.
Jackson’s argument that this status should change permanently is backed up by the contrasting performances of Sterling and Tavernier respectively, and if a bid from Saudi Arabia does come to fruition, the time could be right for the 32-year-old to move on.
It’s unlikely that his goalscoring output and set-piece success rate will ever be repeated at Ibrox, but as Clement begins to shape a Rangers side capable of finally toppling Celtic next season, moving on from the long-term captain could be a step in the right direction.
In other Rangers news, a report has named which Ibrox loanee is most likely to be part of the squad next season.
For more Rangers news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.