Should Rangers consider Sam Byram bid if James Tavernier leaves?

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Glasgow Rangers defender James Tavernier has been linked with a move away from Ibrox this summer.

If Steven Gerrard hopes to quickly turn Rangers into a serious force in the Scottish Premiership, he may well have to make some ruthless decisions regarding the current squad, including those who have been first-team regulars over the last couple of years.

James Tavernier has undoubtedly been one of the Gers’ best players over that period of time, and it would be a surprise if Gerrard decided to cash in on the Englishman during this window – especially with Lee Hodson seemingly his only understudy currently. But there is interest in him it seems, and Gerrard may decide that the right-back going is in everyone’s best interests given the money that is reportedly set to be put on the table.

It remains to be seen what Gerrard makes of the links, but The Scottish Sun recently reported that Crystal Palace are eyeing a £3.5 million bid for the 26-year-old who the Gers value at £4 million.

Tavernier may have struggled at times this term, but if he goes, replacing him is going to be a difficult task for Gerrard. But perhaps the incoming Rangers boss should take note of the list of players that Manuel Pellegrini is reportedly willing to axe as he takes over at West Ham.

The Times reports that Sam Byram is amongst those who will be allowed to leave the London Stadium during the summer after a difficult spell with the Hammers.

Byram – signed for £3.7 million in 2016, according to the Independent – has never managed to establish himself in the Irons side, but perhaps a move to Ibrox could be perfect for the former Leeds United youngster.

The 24-year-old thrives when he is darting down and offering support in attack and he will certainly get a lot more opportunities to do that at Rangers than he does at West Ham. That instinct to get forward would make him a potentially-superb replacement for Tavernier given that the current Gers ace is more than happy to head for the final third.

Defensively, he is still learning but is not afraid to get stuck in, and a regular run of games may well make a huge amount of difference. And given West Ham’s reported willingness to sell, it seems that he would certainly be a player worth considering if Rangers decided to cash-in on Tavernier this summer.