James Tavernier 'would like to move on' from Rangers with fan tensions boiling over as Besiktas play waiting game

The skipper has been linked with Gio van Bronckhorst's side with the Turkish transfer window remaining open

Captain James Tavernier wants to leave Rangers amid rising interest from Besiktas with time ticking in on the Turkish transfer window.

That is according to former Light Blues man Rory Loy - who reckons that the club may want to swerve "toxic energy" after the long-serving skipper was confronted by fans at Ibrox following defeat to Celtic. Super Lig sides have until Friday, September 13 to get any deals over the line and reports in Turkey suggest that former boss Gio van Bronckhorst has made the right-back a top target before the close of play.

While free agent Cyrus Christie has been touted as a potential replacement for Tavernier, a deal does not appear to be imminent. The Hull Daily Mail report the 31-year-old is "considering his options" with a host of English clubs chasing his signature after he left Hull City at the end of last season.

And Besiktas appear willing to play the waiting game to get Tavernier with EGE Telegraf stating that Rangers will not allow the Hall of Famer to leave without a "suitable" replacement. It is claimed Van Bronckhorst is willing to wait until January with a deal before Friday's deadline looking "difficult."

But Loy reckons the time could be right to cash in on Tavernier - with Dujon Sterling drafted in as a replacement. The pundit told BBC's Scottish Football podcast: "I don't think he has been particularly consistent this season, and that's a worry. His body language doesn't look the same as it has done in previous years, even in defeat they have had against Celtic he just strikes you as a different character.

"In this day and age he continues to be linked with a move away, for me that is coming from his camp wherever it be his agent trying to drum up interest - some of the interest may not even be there, agents are good at that these days - but everything just strikes to me that he would like to move on. I have said for a while now having your right back score so many goals is a bonus, it shouldn't be a necessity in any team.

"James Tavernier, to his credit, has been a great source of goals for Rangers I just don't think it's good if you are consistently reliant on your right-back to score goals and he has not been so far this season. He doesn't look happy and sometimes you just need to accept maybe it is time (to go).

"For Rangers as a club maybe it is time, and for Rangers as a club maybe it is better to move him on and say 'Sterling is quite injury prone, but let's get him in at right-back and give him a go until January'. I just think from the clubs perspective it is not a healthy situation at the moment, especially after he scenes last week at Ibrox. It just feels like it has reached a natural conclusion and if Rangers were to hold onto him they are risking that toxic energy persisting."