Highest-scoring defender in British history to become free agent this summer

James Tavernier confirmed his 11th season at Rangers will be his last.

The 34-year-old conceded it ‘hasn’t been an easy decision’, but the timing felt right for a ‘new challenge.’

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James Tavernier’s statement on Rangers exit

“This club has been a huge part of my life and my family’s over the past 11 years,” Tavernier wrote in a statement shared across his social media.

“It’s given me so much, both on and off the pitch and from the moment I arrived, I’ve always tried to give everything I had to represent it the right way.

“To have had the honour of being made captain of this club since 2018 is something I will always be incredibly proud of. Leading this team out, wearing the armband and being trusted in that role has meant more to me than I can properly put into words.”

Tavernier joined Rangers from Newcastle in July 2015, when the Glaswegian giants were in the Scottish second tier.

Tavernier’s remarkable goalscoring record

The right-back has since gone on to become a club legend having made over 560 appearances across all competitions for the Gers.

In that span, Tavernier wrote himself into the record books as British football’s highest-scoring defender.

At present, the 34-year-old has 151 goals to his name, with 144 of those coming during his time at Rangers.

Tavernier’s best goal haul in a single season came during the 2023/24 campaign when he netted an absurd 24 times across all competitions, 17 of which came via the Scottish Premiership.

Central to Tavernier’s remarkable goalscoring record is the fact he has been on set-piece duty for Rangers.

The 34-year-old has scored a whopping 77 penalties throughout his career, missing 20.

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Tavernier has also netted 21 times from direct free-kicks, with his latest coming in a 4-1 win over Aberdeen on March 21.

To put Tavernier’s goal output into perspective, just nine players have scored more in the Scottish top tier since the 2000/01 season.

Which trophies has Tavernier won with Rangers?

The defender has proved equally capable in playing the role of the provider, contributing an absurd 148 assists during his time at Rangers.

Tavernier’s vast individual contributions have helped Rangers win the Scottish Cup and Scottish League Cup as well as embark on a stunning run to the Europa League final in 2022.

But none may be as special as Rangers’ Scottish Premiership title in 2020/21, where the Gers went unbeaten over the entire league campaign and stopped Celtic’s quest for ten in a row.

For Tavernier, it was ‘a moment that meant everything to this club and its supporters and one I will carry with me for the rest of my life.’

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There is still scope for Tavernier to wrap up his Rangers adventure with one final trophy.

Danny Rohl’s side sit one point behind league leaders Hearts with the competition now in its split, where the top six and bottom six are divided into two sections.

Rangers will look to keep the pressure on Hearts when they return to action on April 26 with a home fixture against fourth-placed Motherwell.