Tavernier’s going to Turkey? No, it’s cyberspace nuts talking nonsense
IT says everything about the speed with which transfer speculation recycles around cyberspace these days that rapid right-back James Tavernier was caught out for pace by one baffling story about his own future.
The ink had barely dried on his new, improved Rangers contract up to 2019 than the buccaneering defender was apparently being lined up for a move to Turkish top-flight side Trabzonspor.
All of which has led to a rather ferocious, if entirely unnecessary, online transfer tug of war between two sets of supporters appealing directly to Tavernier to either stay put or bolt for the Black Sea.
This might have been fairly flattering but, for a player at perfect peace with football life following years of upheaval and a litany of loans, the skirmish for his affections became a source of amusement.
That can only mean the winners are Rangers for, while supporters from both camps sought him out on social media, Tavernier’s own investigations left him to conclude the news should be laid to rest as nonsense.
The 24-year-old, whose stunning free-kick at Kilmarnock rescued a point on Friday, explained: ‘I first heard from my mum! She’d seen the links. Obviously I looked into it. But the club haven’t heard anything.
‘I haven’t heard anything. It’s all news to me. Yet I keep getting, on Twitter, the Trabzonspor fans telling me to go there, saying to me “Please come”. Loads of them!
‘And we’ve had Rangers fans arguing back, saying “He’s going nowhere”. I posted a picture on Instagram and the first comment was one of our fans saying: “No Trabzonspor fans comment on this page”.
‘It’s been fun to watch. But it’s weird because nothing has materialised out of it. Anyway, I’m a Rangers man. I’ve signed an extension and I’m delighted to have done that.
‘If any speculation comes around I don’t think it’ll affect me because I’m in a happy place and settled.’
Tavernier’s 15 goals and 23 assists last season prompted Rangers to offer the extended deal during the close season and he was delighted to accept an opportunity to frank stable status at his 10th club.
Tavernier does have travel on his mind, however. He is targeting a return to European football, an arena he
briefly enjoyed playing in with Newcastle United as a 20-yearold.
‘A main reason is I’ve been around different clubs and I want to be settled,’ he said. ‘The club and the gaffer have given me that foundation. They’ve been great to me and I want to be great back to them.
‘I’d come to a point where I’d moved my family around different loans and it got a bit tiring. It got harder with kids growing up. It’s just great now, kids are at school, we’re settled. Happy days. ‘I’ve only been here a year and loved that year. We’re in the Premiership now and it’s another step in the right direction. I know there are European places up for grabs and that’s where you want to be. ‘That means playing against top players in the top leagues around the world and you can do that here with Rangers. There’s definitely unfinished business.’