James Tavernier Announces He Will Leave Rangers After 11 Years at Ibrox

Rangers captain James Tavernier has announced he will leave the Scottish Premiership club at the end of the season after 11 years at Ibrox, ending a spell that began when he joined Rangers in 2015.

“- Published Captain James Tavernier says it "hasn't been an easy decision" after announcing he will leave Rangers at the end of the season after 11 years at Ibrox”

BBC

BBC Sport reports that the 34-year-old Englishman said it "hasn't been an easy decision" and revealed on Monday that he had yet to be offered a new deal, with his current contract expiring.

BBC

Sky Sports likewise says Tavernier will depart at the end of the season after 11 years at Ibrox, and it places his exit in the context of his contract situation and his role as captain.

In an Instagram post, Tavernier confirmed on Wednesday that he would be cutting ties with the Ibrox outfit in the summer, and Sky Sports quotes him saying, "This hasn't been an easy decision" and adding, "This isn't the end just yet."

The BBC also records that Tavernier has played 562 times for Rangers, scoring 144 goals and providing 148 assists, while Sky Sports similarly states he has scored 144 goals in 562 appearances.

The BBC frames his leadership milestone by noting he was made captain in 2018, and it quotes him: "To have had the honour of being made captain of this club since 2018 is something I will always be incredibly proud of."

Both BBC and beIN SPORTS describe the club’s immediate focus as finishing the season strongly, with Tavernier saying, "I will continue to give absolutely everything, as I always have until the very last day."

Tavernier’s departure is being presented across outlets as the end of a long-running statistical and trophy story at Ibrox, with multiple reports emphasizing his output as a right-back and his captaincy since 2018.

BBC Sport says he has played 562 times for Rangers, scoring 144 goals and providing 148 assists, and it adds that he has been Rangers’ top scorer this season with 14 goals, plus six assists for a contribution to 20 goals.

beIN SPORTS

Sky Sports similarly highlights that he has scored 144 goals in 562 appearances and calls him Britain’s highest-scoring defender, while beIN SPORTS repeats the same headline totals of 562 appearances, 144 goals, and 148 assists.

The BBC also situates his impact across managers, saying he has played under 10 different managers in his 11 years and listing the names of Mark Warburton, Steven Gerrard, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, and Philippe Clement among others.

It notes that Tavernier was pivotal for Gerrard’s title-winning team, that van Bronckhorst’s side reached the Europa League final, and that Philippe Clement’s team won the Scottish Cup, with the BBC quoting Tavernier on the pride of leading the team out.

Sky Sports adds that Tavernier led Rangers to the Scottish Premiership title in 2021 and won the Scottish Cup and League Cup, and it also says he captained Rangers to the Europa League final in 2022, which they lost on penalties to Eintracht Frankfurt.

beIN SPORTS places the Europa League final in 2021-22 and again says Rangers lost to Eintracht Frankfurt, while The News International describes Tavernier as a Hall of Famer and says he was named PFA Scotland Player of the Year in 2021.

The BBC also notes that Tavernier has not been an automatic starter under Danny Rohl this term, and Sky Sports specifies that head coach Danny Röhl has often preferred Dujon Sterling at right-back, with Tavernier starting 23 of Rangers’ 33 Premiership games so far this season.

Several outlets connect Tavernier’s exit to contract timing and the lack of a new offer, while also describing the club’s position in the title race as he prepares to go.

“James Tavernier: Rangers captain to leave Scottish Premiership club at end of season after 11 years at Ibrox The 34-year-old joined Rangers in 2015; he led the Ibrox side to the Scottish Premiership title in 2021; the defender has also won the Scottish Cup and League Cup with Rangers; he has scored 144 goals in 562 appearances Wednesday 22 April 2026 16:29, UK Rangers captain James Tavernier has announced he will leave the club at the end of the season, after 11 years at Ibrox”

Sky Sports

BBC Sport says Tavernier revealed on Monday that he had yet to be offered a new deal by Rangers, with his current contract expiring, and it reports that he confirmed on Instagram on Wednesday that he would be cutting ties with the Ibrox outfit in the summer.

beIN SPORTS likewise says Tavernier revealed on Monday that Rangers had yet to offer him a new contract, with his exit coming at the end of the season when his current deal runs out.

The News International adds a specific contract end date, stating that Tavernier will leave Rangers as a free agent in June 2026 after 11 years at the club, and it says his contract is going to expire on May 31, 2026, with no renewal offered.

The Scottish Sun also frames the decision as a final-season call, saying his contract is up at the end of the season and that he released a 454-word statement, while it quotes Tavernier’s language about making the decision after “a lot of thought,”.

In the same statement, The Scottish Sun reports Tavernier wrote, "After a lot of thought, I've made the decision that this will be my final season at the club," and it also includes his line, "This hasn't been an easy decision."

Sky Sports and BBC both emphasize that Tavernier wants to finish the season properly, with Sky Sports quoting him saying, "I will continue to give absolutely everything I have until the very last day" and describing the team focus on pushing for the league title.

BBC also places the club in a three-way fight, saying second-placed Rangers are in a three-way fight with Hearts one point ahead and defending champions Celtic two points off with five games to play.

As Tavernier’s future at Ibrox closes, the reporting ties his message to Rangers’ immediate sporting priorities in the Scottish Premiership title race.

BBC Sport says second-placed Rangers are in a three-way fight to win the Premiership, with Hearts one point ahead and defending champions Celtic two points off the Ibrox side with five games to play, and it quotes Tavernier saying, "There is still a season to finish and we are fully focused on pushing for the league title."

The News International

Sky Sports similarly says Rangers are pushing for the league title and quotes Tavernier: "This isn't the end just yet. There is still a season to finish and we are fully focused on pushing for the league title."

beIN SPORTS repeats the same title-race framing, stating Rangers are second, just one point behind leaders Hearts and two above Celtic in a tight battle with five games remaining, and it again quotes Tavernier: "My focus right now is on finishing this season the right way, together."

The BBC also records that Tavernier said, "I will continue to give absolutely everything, as I always have until the very last day," and it adds that he told fans, "This isn't the end just yet," without confirming where he will play next season.

Sky Sports includes a quote from Tavernier’s social media post in which he says, "While I feel the time is right for a new challenge, my focus right now is on finishing this season the right way, together."

The Sky Sports report also provides a tactical snapshot of how his role has shifted under Danny Röhl, noting that Röhl has often preferred Dujon Sterling at right-back and that Tavernier started 23 of Rangers’ 33 Premiership games so far this season.

BBC’s account similarly says Tavernier has not been an automatic starter under Danny Rohl this term, and it places that change alongside the contract decision.

While all the reports agree on Tavernier’s decision to leave Rangers at the end of the season after 11 years at Ibrox, they diverge in how they frame the significance of that move and the surrounding narrative.

“RANGERS captain James Tavernier has announced he will LEAVE the club this summer in a bombshell 454-word statement”

The Scottish Sun

BBC emphasizes the emotional and leadership dimension, quoting Tavernier’s reflections such as "This club has been a huge part of my life and my family's over the past 11 years" and highlighting his captaincy since 2018, while it also notes his statistical record and that he is not an automatic starter under Danny Rohl.

The Scottish Sun

Sky Sports, by contrast, foregrounds the club’s trophy and match history and includes a quoted line from Tavernier’s Instagram statement, "I will continue to give absolutely everything I have until the very last day," while also adding a specific match-role detail about Dujon Sterling being preferred at right-back.

beIN SPORTS largely repeats the same core facts—562 appearances, 144 goals, 148 assists, and the lack of a new contract—while it keeps the focus on the title race and Tavernier’s insistence that "There is still a season to finish."

The News International frames Tavernier as a Hall of Famer and adds contract specifics, stating his contract expires on May 31, 2026 and that he will leave as a free agent in June 2026, while also quoting his line, "This isn't the end just yet."

The Scottish Sun uses a different tone and format, describing a "bombshell" 454-word Instagram statement and quoting Tavernier’s line, "After a lot of thought, I've made the decision that this will be my final season at the club," while also asserting that the Gers’ run included lifting the league title and delivering "55."

Finally, The Sunday Guardian’s account—though it is not aligned with the mainstream outlets on some details—claims Tavernier revealed via Instagram that leaving when his contract expires in June was the hardest decision of his career and says his deal is set to expire on May 31, 2026, while also asserting that Fabrizio Romano confirmed he will become a free agent.

Across these different framings, the common thread remains Tavernier’s own insistence that he will keep giving everything until the end of the season, even as the reports vary in emphasis on contract dates, tactical usage, and the emotional weight of the farewell.