James Tavernier’s hopes of finally escaping from Ibrox were put in doubt last night as Trabzonspor closed in on signing central defender Stefan Sevic signed from Atletico Madrid.
The 33-year-old triggered a 12 month extension after making 23 appearances last season in La Liga but Atletico are reported to be accepting a token fee to allow Sevic to take up a three year deal from the Turkish side.
With the ageing Borna Barisic added to the Trabzonspor defence it is hard to see them adding another clapped out thirty-something leaving Tavpen to look elsewhere or face up to another season at Ibrox.
🚨🇹🇷 Stefan Savić to Trabzonspor, here we go! Three year contract valid until June 2027, agreed today.
Atlético Madrid will let him leave as revealed in May, mutual decision made.
Medical tests later this week. 🩺
Exclusive story, confirmed. pic.twitter.com/GK2Q23c7Ub
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 22, 2024
It has been made very clear over recent weeks that Phil Clement has been preparing for life without Tavernier who went badly downhill in the final three months of last season.
Daizen Maeda seemed to put the fear into the former Wigan utility man who was reduced to a quivering wreck from three clashes against Celtic in the last seven weeks of the season.
At the turn of the year praise was flowing the way of the Ibrox skipper as he picked up another fake trophy as Britain’s highest scoring defender, at the end of the season he was trailing Alistair Johnston 5-3 on the trophy count with the Canadian spending just 18 months at Celtic.
During the close season the Daily Record published a story that Jack Butland was about to take Tav’s cherished Captain’s Armband, that story was quickly watered down but the damage was done.
John Sottar, Connor Goldson and Butland have captained the team during the pre-season matches with last season’s skipper apparently nursing a small knock.
Most Ibrox fans reacted with delight to last week’s news of a formal proposal being made by Trabzonspor but a reunion with Barisic and John Lundstram is now looking unlikely.
Clement’s side face Birmingham in a friendly tomorrow night, within the next fortnight they start their SPFL title campaign away to Hearts at Tynecastle which is followed up by an away Champions League qualifier against Dinamo Kiev or Partizan Belgrade.
CLICK HERE for the many faces of James Succulent Traynor.
CLICK HERE for Ibrox closure announcement.
