Rangers can hit gold with “exceptional” replacement if they sell Tavernier
Glasgow Rangers head coach Philippe Clement will surely be using the last international break of the year to plot ways for his team to improve on the pitch.
The Light Blues are third in the Scottish Premiership table and a whopping nine points behind their rivals, Celtic and Aberdeen, after a dismal start to the campaign.
philippe-clement-rangers-manager
They have already lost three times in the division, once each to the two teams above them and once to Kilmarnock, and failed to qualify for the league phase of the Champions League at the start of the season.
Clement’s team did, however, secure their place in the final of the League Cup, beating Motherwell 2-1 in the semi-final at Hampden Park, and have racked up two wins and one draw from four matches in the Europa League.
This shows that it is now all doom and gloom for the Scottish giants but they will not be happy with their situation in the Premiership and it could result in changes being made to the squad ahead of the second half of the campaign.
The January transfer window opens for business in just under two months and the Light Blues are already reportedly considering making one bold decision that could help to change their fortunes.
According to Football Insider, Rangers are preparing to cash in on captain and star James Tavernier at the end of the 2024/25 campaign to raise money for new signings.
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The report claims that his ‘underwhelming’ performances on the pitch have convinced the board that the timing is right for the Englishman to be moved on from Ibrox.
It states that his ‘declining’ displays have been noticed behind the scenes and next summer would be their last chance to extract good value from him, as his current contract is due to expire at the end of the 2025/26 campaign.
James-Tavernier-Rangers
Whilst it does not appear as though they are desperate to make it happen instantly, in January, it is said that the club are weighing up potential signings to come in and replace Tavernier in the upcoming transfer window.
This is a decision that will not have come lightly as the veteran full-back is in his tenth year at Ibrox, and is the captain, but his declining performances – as stated in this report – may have forced their hand.
At the age of 33, time may have just caught up with Tavernier and it could be the right moment for a parting of the ways to ensure that his legacy remains intact, rather than several more years of declining displays potentially tainting his time in Glasgow.
James Tavernier’s Rangers decline
The veteran star has been a terrific performer and servant for the Light Blues over the years and has racked up an eye-catching 126 goals and 132 assists in 479 matches in all competitions.
In the 2023/24 campaign, Tavernier produced a superb 24 goals and 12 assists in all competitions from a right-back position, which proves that he made a big impact at the top end of the pitch.
However, former Gers right-back Steven Whittaker claimed, during the season, that the English full-back could improve defensively and that he “needs” to look at that side of his game. His most notable error was in the opening minute against Celtic in April, as you can see in the clip below.
Unfortunately, Tavernier’s attacking play has declined and his defensive mistakes have remained, which has resulted in more scrutiny over his position in the side.
24/25 Premiership
James Tavernier
Appearances
11
Goals
0
Assists
3
Possession lost per game
20
Pass accuracy
79%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Tavernier has only provided three goal contributions in 11 appearances in the Premiership so far this season, whilst losing the ball a staggering 20 times per match on average.
He has been incredibly wasteful in possession and his lack of quality on the ball this season means that he is not making up for his defensive slip-ups, which may be why the club have decided that now is the right time to move on from him.
Instead of signing a direct replacement for him in January, though, Clement could strike gold by unleashing Dujon Sterling as his successor at right-back.
Why Rangers could hit gold with Dujon Sterling
The former Chelsea man has played 52 matches since the start of last season for the Light Blues but has rarely had a chance to shine in his natural position.
In those 52 appearances, Sterling has started just four times as a right-back for the Scottish giants, whilst he has started matches at left-back, defensive midfield, central midfield, and right midfielder as well.
The 25-year-old ace, who was hailed as “exceptional” by Andy Halliday last year, is not as attack-minded as the captain and would provide more of a solid presence in the right-back position.
sterling-rangers-clement-lundstram-injury
Tavernier has provided a great goal threat throughout his Rangers career, with a whopping 68 penalties scored and 18 missed throughout his career.
There are plenty of players who could step up from the spot instead of him, though. Cyriel Dessers has scored 13 of his 17 penalties in his career, whilst Nedim Bajrami has a 100% record with nine from nine, and Ianis Hagi has scored 11 from 16.
This means that Tavernier’s exit could allow some of the midfielders and attackers to step into the spotlight, whilst Sterling comes in to offer defensive solidity instead of wanting to give possession away 20 times per game with shots and crosses.
Dujon Sterling
Vs Olympiacos
Position
Right-back
Sofascore rating
7.3
Tackles + interceptions
3
Blocks
1
Ground duels won
3/5
Aerial duels won
3/3
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Sterling caught the eye with his play out of possession after Tavernier was dropped for him to start in his natural position against Olympiacos in the Europa League last week.
The former Chelsea man dominated the Greek side in the air, whilst the skipper has lost 50% of his aerial duels in the Premiership, and could provide the dominant presence at the back that the 33-year-old has been unable to.
Therefore, Clement could strike gold for Rangers by refusing to bring in another right-back and, instead, unleashing Sterling for an extended run in his favoured position.
philippe-clement-rangers-manager
Related
Clement can solve low-block issue by unleashing rarely-seen Rangers ace
This could help the team to improve defensively, due to Sterling’s quality in physical duels to stop attackers from creating chances, whilst also potentially improving the confidence of the attacking players by allowing them to take control of games instead of the bulk of the play going through Tavernier.
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