James Tavernier set for Maccabi Tel Aviv move
James Tavernier will fly to Israel today to undergo a medical ahead of his move to Maccabi Tel Aviv, as one of Rangers’ modern greats prepares to close the book on an 11-year chapter at Ibrox.
The deal is not yet officially confirmed by the Israeli champions, but the outlines are clear. Tavernier is expected to sign a contract worth around €1 million per season, a salary that underlines the scale of the signing for both club and league.
Miller’s man
This is not a name picked from a scouting database. This is Kenny Miller going back to someone he knows and trusts.
The Maccabi Tel Aviv manager has personally targeted Tavernier, according to Israeli journalist Ben Green, and has already spoken publicly about the defender’s potential arrival. Miller, who shared a dressing room with Tavernier at Rangers for three seasons, has been open with the Israeli press:
“I know him well, he’s a very high-level player, his name came up in the last month.”
That familiarity matters. Miller knows exactly what he is getting: leadership, set-piece quality, relentless running and, crucially, goals from the right side of defence.
A right-back who scored like a forward
Tavernier leaves Rangers with a record that barely sounds real for a defender. 152 goals in 11 years. From right-back.
He arrived as a promising full-back. He departs as a Hall of Famer, inducted in 2023, and one of the defining figures of Rangers’ post-liquidation era.
The honours list backs that up. Tavernier captained Steven Gerrard’s side to the 2020/21 Scottish Premiership title, going the entire league season unbeaten. He also lifted one Scottish Cup, one Premier Sports Cup, one Challenge Cup and one Championship title, helping drag Rangers back to the top of Scottish football.
On the European stage, he left his mark as well. During Rangers’ run to the Europa League final in Seville in 2022, Tavernier finished as the competition’s top scorer with seven goals, an extraordinary feat for a defender on a continental stage.
Tactical shift on the cards
Maccabi are not just signing a player; they may be reshaping their system around him.
Local reports in Israel suggest the club are considering a tactical tweak to make the most of Tavernier’s strengths, with a switch to a wing-back system one option on the table. That setup would free him to push higher, attack more often and replicate the marauding role that made him so dangerous at Ibrox.
For a club already crowned champions, it is a statement of intent. You don’t bring in a 34-year-old with his pedigree and salary to play within himself.
Big name, big expectations
Tavernier’s impending arrival has sparked major excitement in Israel. Local media have described him as one of the most notable players ever to join the Ligat Ha'al, a marquee signing both in name and in proven output.
Maccabi are busy on other fronts as well. Gabi Kanikovsky is returning from Ferencvaros, adding further depth as the transfer window closes and hinting at a squad being built for domestic dominance and a serious tilt at Europe.
For Tavernier, this is the start of a new life and a new league after more than a decade in Glasgow. If the medical goes to plan and the paperwork follows, the long-serving Rangers captain will swap Ibrox for Tel Aviv — and test whether his remarkable influence from right-back can travel with him to Israel’s champions.
