Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has confirmed Jose Mourinho wants Rangers captain James Tavernier at Turkish giants Fenerbahce and the Super Lig side have submitted a bid and proposal to Rangers chiefs for the Ibrox right back.

While the details of the bid are unknown as yet, it’s now clear that ‘The Special One’ has picked Tavernier as a priority signing and has offered Rangers terms to secure the former Wigan man.

This is the first definitive sign that Tavernier will not be at Ibrox next season, in concert with lesser-credible reports that Borna Barisic and John Lundstram’s new side Trabzonspor are also working on a deal to sign the 32-year-old.

The simple reality is Tavernier’s Rangers race is well and truly run, and he is now looking very very unlikely to be at the club next season, despite some fans’ insistence that he is uninterested in an exit to secure his testimonial.

With all due respect, a testimonial is just a fancy friendly to say thank you to a long-serving player, and give him a £1M+ payday on top – if Tavernier is staying for that purpose, then his interests are in his ego and his bank balance.

We don’t think that’s the case, it’s only ever been some supporters making that argument.

In reality, if Rangers get the required bid for any club for Tav’s signature, he will be gone, because Rangers’ situation is as dire as his Ibrox form is and both sides need a break.

Whether it will be Fenerbahce or Trabzonspor who get the ‘defender’ time will tell, but we would now be staggered if he’s still at Rangers come the new season.

NB: apologies for this article in partial error, all facts correct apart from it being Trabzonspor and not Fenerbahce who made the bid.