James Tavernier's Move to Maccabi Tel Aviv: A New Chapter
James Tavernier is expected to board a flight to Israel today as his move to Maccabi Tel Aviv edges towards completion, with medical tests now the final major hurdle.
The transfer has yet to be rubber-stamped by the Israeli champions, but the direction of travel is clear. Tavernier is closing in on the end of an era at Rangers and the start of a striking late-career adventure in Ligat Ha'al.
Reports in Israel say the 34-year-old will earn around €1 million per season, a salary that underlines how highly Maccabi rate the veteran right-back. They are not just signing a defender; they are importing a leader with a decade of Ibrox history behind him.
A Rangers era draws to a close
Tavernier leaves Glasgow with a legacy few modern Rangers players can match. Across 11 years at Ibrox he became a defining figure, wearing the armband through revival, resurgence and a return to the top of Scottish football.
He captained Steven Gerrard’s side to the 2020/21 Scottish Premiership title, leading Rangers through an unbeaten league campaign that snapped Celtic’s dominance. His medal haul also includes a Scottish Cup, a Premier Sports Cup, a Challenge Cup and a Championship title.
The numbers are scarcely believable for a defender: 152 goals in Rangers colours. Penalties, free-kicks, late runs to the back post – Tavernier turned the right flank into his personal stage.
On the European front he produced one of the standout campaigns of his career in 2021/22, finishing as the Europa League’s top scorer with seven goals as Rangers powered their way to the final in Seville. In 2023, his impact was formally recognised with induction into the Rangers Hall of Fame.
Miller’s man at Maccabi
At Maccabi Tel Aviv, this is no opportunistic signing. It is a move driven from the dugout.
Head coach Kenny Miller has personally pushed for Tavernier, according to Israeli journalist Ben Green. Miller knows exactly what he is buying: the pair shared a dressing room at Rangers for three seasons, and the Maccabi boss has already spoken publicly about the prospect of a reunion.
“I know him well, he’s a very high-level player, his name came up in the last month,” Miller told the Israeli media recently, making little effort to hide his admiration.
The relationship between manager and signing could be crucial. Miller is not just adding experience; he is importing a player he trusts to shape standards in a dressing room that expects titles.
Tactical shift on the cards
Tavernier’s arrival may not just change the team sheet. It could change the system.
Local reports suggest Maccabi are actively considering a switch to a wing-back setup to maximise the former Rangers captain’s strengths. A more advanced role on the right would allow him to do in Tel Aviv what he did so often in Glasgow: drive forward, create, and score.
For a club already chasing domestic and European ambitions, tailoring the tactical plan around a 34-year-old might sound bold. But Tavernier’s record explains the temptation. His attacking output from deep is precisely what has made him one of the most unusual full-backs of his generation.
Big name, big expectations
In Israel, the buzz is already building. Local media have described Tavernier as one of the most notable players ever to join Ligat Ha'al, a marquee name arriving at a club that expects to dominate.
Maccabi are not stopping there. Gabi Kanikovsky is also returning to the club from Ferencvaros as the transfer window closes, adding more quality to a squad being sharpened for another title push.
If the medical goes to plan and the paperwork follows, James Tavernier will soon swap Ibrox for Bloomfield Stadium, Glasgow rain for Mediterranean heat, and the familiar roar of Rangers for a new kind of pressure in Tel Aviv.
After 11 years, trophies, records and a Hall of Fame induction, he is about to find out what the next chapter looks like on a very different stage.
