Glasgow Rangers defender James Tavernier is now set to stay at Ibrox until 2022 after agreeing a new contract.
Tavernier has handed Steven Gerrard’s men a massive boost ahead of their Europa League group-stage opener this week by signing a contract that the Gers have confirmed is set to run until 2022.
The new deal comes after a summer which saw Tavernier’s Gers future look slightly uncertain at times. The Daily Mail reported on their live blog at one stage (18/06; 14:29) that Rangers were ready to consider selling the right-back for £3 million, while the Express and Star reported as the deadline loomed that wage demands scuppered a move to West Brom.
But Tavernier’s comments after signing a new deal certainly suggest that no move away during the window was that close – despite the interest in him.
“I’ve always seen this as the place for me to play football. Rangers have always been great for me for giving me the foundation to start playing again and to start my career over again, and I will always hold that closely,” he told the club’s official website.
“There was a bit of interest in the summer, but I was fully focused on working with the gaffer in this new campaign being captain as well.
“You have everything here – you have the history, you have the fans, you’ve got the new management and the new players and the new team.”
Tavernier’s defending abilities may have seen him come in for criticism on a couple of occasions this season, but it is a fantastic piece of business to agree a new deal.
The defender has already put in a handful of top performances since Gerrard’s arrival, and any disappointment about his defending is often balanced out by the real threat that he provides going forward, as well as the leadership that has really helped the Gers get off to a very good start under their new manager.
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