After nine years of playing down the right side for Rangers, James Tavernier is preparing to leave Ibrox.

Rangers fans have been calling for changes in the squad for several seasons, as many players are seen as overpaid and underachieving.

As Rangers look to offload players to fund new signings, few would have predicted that club captain and Ibrox stalwart James Tavernier would be the first to go.

However, as Fabrizio Romano confirms Trabzonspor’s proposal to Rangers for Tavernier, a reliable source in Turkish football suggests the deal is closer than many think.

Turkish journalist provides Tavernier update

Turkish sports media isn’t exactly renowned for reliability when it comes to football transfers.

However, Yagiz Sabuncuoglu is considered one of the country’s most reputable and reliable sources of footballing information.

It’s worth noting that Sabuncuoglu broke the news of Trabzonspor’s interest in John Lundstram after they set their sights on Borna Barisic.

Now, the Sports Digitale journalist has taken to X to provide some intriguing details surrounding the James Tavernier deal.

According to Sabuncuoglu, Tavernier has already agreed to personal terms with Trabzonspor on a two-year deal with an option for an additional year.

It’s also reported that Rangers and the Turkish Super Lig side are only €1m (£840k) apart in negotiations over the transfer fee.

“Trabzonspor reached a 2+1 year agreement with James Tavernier. There is a difference of €1m between Trabzonspor’s offer and the transfer fee requested by Rangers,” Sabuncuoglu stated.

Rangers exit increasingly likely

As the saying goes, if Yagiz Sabuncuoglu is reporting it in Turkey, you can be confident the links are genuine.

If Rangers decide to let go of James Tavernier this window, it will evoke mixed emotions among Ibrox fans.

With an impressive record of 125 goals and 129 assists in 460 games, the Gers captain has become British football’s highest-scoring defender ever.

Tavernier has lifted the Scottish Premiership, Scottish Cup, and League Cup, and he guided Rangers to the 2022 Europa League Final.

Having dedicated the best years of his career to Rangers, Tavernier is a bona fide legend and an Ibrox Hall of Famer who has tirelessly etched his name into the club’s history books, often amid a wave of criticism.

Potentially following John Lundstram and Borna Barisic to Trabzonspor, an ex-Rangers community is forming in the Black Sea city, and it will be interesting to see how they fare in Turkey next season.

This is assuming the deal, which appears close to completion, doesn’t fall through at the last minute.