Tav to Turkey latest as Rangers captain awaits news

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Tav to Turkey latest as Rangers captain awaits news
DUMBARTON, SCOTLAND - JANUARY 20: Rangers captain James Tavernier is seen prior to the Dumbarton v Rangers - Scottish Cup at Dumbarton Football Stadium on January 20, 2024 in Dumbarton, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

The James Tavernier to Turkey story took another slight twist after some media claimed the Turkish Football Federation have upheld their January decision to limit foreign players in domestic matches.

The Rangers captain has been strongly linked with a move to Turkey, Qatar or Saudi Arabia, with Besiktas and Trabzonspor especially interested according to Turkish news agencies, Giovanni van Bronckhorst of course being Tavernier’s old gaffer and previously claimed to be preparing a bid.

But it’s been alleged that Turkish football authorities have recently sustained the January ruling that Turkish teams cannot have more than 12 ‘foreign’ players in domestic matchday squads, although there is no limit for the roster in general and obviously it doesn’t affect European football.

The ‘twist’ is that there are mixed claims about exactly what the federation has said – some headlines allege there’s a reducing limit, aka, foreign players will reduce over time in Turkey, others claim it’s the opposite, that the limit itself is being reduced as a restriction and foreign player numbers will increase.

The exact statement (from January):

“Starting from the 2024-2025 season, there will be changes in the number of foreign football players allowed in A team rosters. Specifically, there will now be a maximum of 12 foreign players permitted for the first three seasons (2024-2025, 2025-2026, and 2026-2027), while the following two seasons (2027-2028 and 2028-2029) will have a limit of 11. Additionally, there will no longer be any restrictions on the match day list.”

Scottish press claim TFF released a recent statement saying that this practice will continue, but we find no record of this.

Even more tellingly, it’s very hard to tell what the overall statement is actually saying, with apparent contradictions.

Ultimately, James Tavernier’s future remains up in the air and we will find out definitively on Friday whether he is to remain in Govan or not.

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