Rangers close in on deal to sign the next James Tavernier

There has been the odd shining light, be it Mikey Moore or Emmanuel Fernandez, but 2025/26 proved another season in which there were far more misses than hits with regard to incomings for Glasgow Rangers.

Moore aside, none of the club’s spate of loan signings has done enough to warrant a permanent stay, with January arrival, Andreas Skov Olsen, having perhaps been the biggest disappointment after scoring just once at Ibrox.

Fellow winger, Oliver Antman, already appears up for sale, while manager Danny Rohl allowed Joe Rothwell to depart after just a matter of months in Glasgow, the club at least keen to quickly cut their losses on flawed signings.

There’s so much work to do to ensure the Gers do not face another errant summer of business, although the early signs do appear to be positive, if reports are to be believed.

Rangers closing in on another signing alongside Shankland

The major talking point over the last few days has been the swift approach for Hearts skipper, Lawrence Shankland, the 30-year-old set to make the move on a free transfer due to a clause in his contract at Tynecastle.

A deal for the Scotland international appears imminent, ahead of his World Cup involvement, with Rohl and co seemingly prioritising experienced additions this summer.

One deal that could also be easy to sort is a move for departing Sunderland midfielder, Dan Neil, with the 24-year-old set to leave the Stadium of Light as a free agent next month.

According to The Scottish Sun, Rangers are now closing in on a deal for the out-of-contract star, having previously tried to make the move in January.

Neil, who is also the subject of interest from Coventry City, spent the end of the season on loan at Ipswich Town, although is not expected to be snapped up permanently at Portman Road.

Why Neil could be another Tavernier in the making at Ibrox

Signings from south of the border have been mixed in recent years, it must be said, the likes of Tom Lawrence, Ben Davies and the aforementioned Rothwell all underwhelming in a Rangers shirt.

That’s not to say Neil would necessarily follow suit, however, with the case of James Tavernier providing reason for optimism, should a deal progress.

In Tavernier’s case, he mirrored Neil by starting out in the north east of England, having been in Newcastle United’s academy ranks, prior to ending up at Wigan Athletic in 2014.

Much of his work had come in England’s lower leagues, yet Rangers took the plunge in the summer of 2015, signing off on a bargain deal for a fee of just £200k.

The rest, as they say, is history, with Tavernier now departing Ibrox just over a decade later, having scored and assisted over 140 goals apiece, while leading the way as skipper in Glasgow.

He’s been a polarising figure at times, yet the 34-year-old’s on-field impact is hard to argue with, proving such a stellar servant across turbulent times for the club.

While Neil, who is just a year older than Tavernier was when he made the move, may not provide that attacking thrust, he could be another leader and stalwart in the making, amid his fine work previously at Sunderland.

The 24-year-old has been cast aside somewhat this season on Wearside, yet he previously captained the club to promotion in 2024/25, starting 44 Championship games that year under Regis Le Bris.

At a time when there isn’t an obvious successor to Tavernier as captain, that experience could well see Neil put his hat in the ring, with Rohl having seemingly called for fresh ‘leaders’ in his squad this summer.

This is not a player arriving past their peak and looking for a final payday, with Neil the perfect age, and with the perfect amount of experience behind him, to suggest he could be a success in a Rangers shirt.

His time at Sunderland, for instance, has seen him rack up 201 games in all competitions, scoring and assisting 32 goals after rising up from the club’s youth ranks.

To be able to secure such a “phenomenal” talent, as hailed by former academy colleague, Luke Molyneux, on a free transfer could prove a real coup, just as Tavernier’s bargain signing was 11 years ago.