It has already been a summer of great change at Ibrox for Glasgow Rangers, with Russell Martin arriving as the new head coach and a new ownership group taking over.
Kevin Thelwell has also joined as the club’s new sporting director, whilst technical director Nils Koppen has moved on, and the changes may not be finished there.
There is also set to be some movement around the playing squad as Martin and Thelwell look to build a team that can compete for the Scottish Premiership title next season.
One player who is set to arrive at Ibrox in short order is Bournemouth full-back Max Aarons, who is due to join the Light Blues on a season-long loan from the Premier League outfit.
The former Norwich City star, who trained with Martin during their time together in Norfolk, will come in to provide competition for the starting right-back berth.
It will be interesting to see what the signing of Aarons will mean for club captain James Tavernier, who has been the first-choice right-back at Ibrox for ten seasons.
What the future may hold for James Tavernier
The 33-year-old star has one year left on his deal in Glasgow and said towards the end of this season that he is “settled” and is not looking beyond next summer yet.
This does not suggest that the English veteran is in a rush to move on from Ibrox during the current summer transfer window, after links to Trabzonspor and Al-Ettifaq last year.
Instead of pushing Tavernier out of the door with a year left on his contract, Martin should aim to keep hold of the defender to utilise his leadership skills whilst reducing his importance on the pitch.
The signing of Aarons could allow the skipper to explore the potential of being a centre-back option for Rangers moving forward, after five appearances in that position in the 2024/25 campaign.
Clearances
9
12
Interceptions
0
1
Tackles
1
2
Dribbled past
0x
0x
Ground duels won
2/3
2/2
As you can see in the table above, Tavernier caught the eye as a centre-back over two legs against Fenerbahce in the Europa League, as the Gers made their way through to the quarter-finals of the tournament.
This suggests that the potential is there for the experienced star to continue his career at Ibrox as a centre-back if he can continue to deliver impressive performances in that new role.
Whilst there is potential for Tavernier to reinvent himself to prolong his time in Glasgow, there is one Rangers defender who should be moved on this summer.
Rangers flop set for talks with Russell Martin
According to journalist Scott Burns, Dutch central defender Robin Propper is set to hold “talks” with Martin over his future at the club before the end of this week.
The reporter adds that the 31-year-old flop is due to return to pre-season training with the Light Blues this week, as they ramp up preparations for their Champions League qualifier against Panathinaikos next month.
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Burns also reveals that FC Twente are keen to sign the centre-back this summer, one year after they sold him to the Scottish Premiership giants ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
Propper is now set to talk with Martin over a potential move away from Ibrox this week, and it remains to be seen what the manager’s thoughts on the situation are.
Given his performances in his debut season in Scotland and the fact that there is a club interested in signing him permanently, in FC Twente, the Light Blues head coach must allow the centre-back to leave Glasgow in the coming weeks.
Why Rangers should sell Robin Propper
The Dutch dud must go before Tavernier is moved on from Ibrox because the captain has more potential to be a useful player for Martin in the 2025/26 campaign, and potentially beyond that.
As aforementioned, the English ace has ten years of experience at Ibrox as the first-choice right-back and has the potential to reinvent himself as a centre-back, which means that he could provide value in multiple positions.
Being the club captain, Tavernier also brings leadership to the team and that can be valuable to Martin whether he is in the team or on the bench, as he is a big voice in the dressing room and commands respect.
Propper, meanwhile, does not have that element in his favour and does not have the positional versatility in his favour either, as he has only played as a centre-back for the Light Blues.
Former Gers ace Derek Ferguson noted that the defender was “struggling” with the physicality and intensity of Scottish football, as he was dribbled past 11 times in 22 starts in the Premiership.
Propper also struggled with the physicality involved in playing on the European stage for the Light Blues, as evidenced by his performances in the Europa League.
Appearances
10
Clean sheets
1
Tackles + interceptions per game
1.8
Dribbled past
4x
Ground duel success rate
45%
Aerial duel success rate
44%
As you can see in the table above, the experienced defender was dominated in duels on the deck and in the air in the competition, which shows that opposition players found it too easy to get the better of him in physical contests.
These statistics and the criticism of his physicality in the Premiership suggest that Propper is simply not cut out to be a centre-back for Rangers as he is not suited to the style of football in Scotland.
At the age of 31, the Dutchman is not a young player with time on his side to develop and improve that part of his game, which is why the Light Blues must look to part ways with him this summer, especially before they look to move on from Tavernier.
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In fact, the captain’s foray into the centre-back position could result in him taking Propper’s place in the squad as an option in that area of the pitch for Martin next term.