Key Takeaways
- James Tavernier will leave Rangers when his contract ends in June after 11 seasons.
- The 34-year-old captain tops the club’s scoring chart this season with 14 goals.
- Rangers still hope to win the league, sitting two points behind leaders Hearts with five games left.
James Tavernier has confirmed he will say goodbye to Rangers this summer, bringing down the curtain on an 11-year stay at Ibrox.
The English right-back, now 34, revealed on Instagram that the club has not offered him fresh terms. His current deal runs out at the end of the campaign.
“This decision has been very hard,” Tavernier told supporters. “Rangers is my family’s second home, but the time feels right for a new chapter.”
Since arriving from Wigan Athletic in 2015, Tavernier has worn the shirt 562 times, registering 144 goals and 148 assists. He became skipper in 2018 under Steven Gerrard and lifted the Scottish Premiership trophy in 2021.
He also played key roles in the Europa League final run of 2022 and the Scottish Cup triumph that followed. Last year he set a British record for most goals by a defender, edging past 150 for his career.
Despite his age, Tavernier remains Rangers’ leading scorer this term. He has 14 goals and six assists, numbers most strikers would welcome.
Yet manager Danny Rohl has rotated him lately, signalling a possible changing of the guard. The club’s board have therefore chosen not to extend his contract.
Rangers fans still hope their captain can sign off with silverware. The team trail Hearts by one point and sit two ahead of Celtic with five matches remaining.
“We are fully locked on the title,” Tavernier said. “I will give every last drop until the final whistle of the season.”
He gave no hint about his next destination, saying only, “This isn’t the end just yet.”
Supporters have praised his longevity and attacking flair, though some have questioned his defending during difficult spells. Even so, few players in the club’s history have produced such steady numbers from the back line.
Tavernier thanked team-mates, backroom staff and fans in a heartfelt message. “Your noise in good times and bad has lifted me more than you will ever know,” he wrote.
When he jogs out at Ibrox for the last time, it will close the book on one of the most durable and prolific careers ever seen from a Rangers defender.