James Tavernier has made it clear to Sky Sports News that he will "never shut the door" on the prospect of signing a fresh contract with Rangers. The 34‑year‑old captain, whose current deal expires at the end of the season, emphasised that his immediate priority is to help the club secure a second Scottish Premiership crown since he arrived at Ibrox in 2015. Rangers sit just a single point behind league leaders Hearts, with Celtic trailing another two points, and there are only five matches left in the campaign.
The title race is therefore hanging in a delicate balance, and Tavernier insists his focus remains squarely on the task at hand rather than on future negotiations. "I'm taking it day by day," he told reporters when asked about his long‑term plans. "My wife was asking me about the holiday, and I said that's too far ahead for me to think about.
I'm not a person who really thinks two weeks ahead, down the line. I'm really just trying to focus on just this week, my training, and obviously my kids' schedules.
It's a hectic life I live, so that's something that will be communicated probably further down the line." He went on to add, "It's obviously something that I've been here for a long time, and it's something that I'll never shut the door on. But I've obviously got to wait and see what happens." The captain's comments suggest a measured approach: he will keep his options open, but he will not rush into any decision until the season draws to a close. On the pitch, Tavernier has featured in 23 of Rangers' 33 league fixtures this term.
Head coach Danny Röhl has often rotated the squad, looking to other players to shoulder the burden of clinching the title. Tavernier expressed frustration at not starting every match, insisting his body is still in peak condition.
"It's obviously frustrating, because I want to start every single game, and my body's not slowing up one bit," he said. "But if I'm asked to be on the sidelines, I'm going to support the boys no matter what, and put my input in the team, and just be myself.
All I can do is, when given the moment, or when I start, is give it my absolute best for the team." Rangers endured a turbulent start to the season, managing only one league win before parting company with manager Russell Martin in October. When Danny Röhl took over, the club were languishing in sixth place, some 13 points adrift of leaders Hearts. Under his stewardship, however, the team have surged back into contention, and Opta's statistical model now lists them as the favourites to lift the trophy. Tavernier summed up the club's mentality: "It's in our hands, and we only can constrain ourselves and our aim is obviously to win every single game until now to the end of the season.
We always say every game is a cup final from the start of the season, which it is, but these games are the exact same. We've got to approach it the exact same manner as we have been doing towards the end part of the season and getting the wins no matter what." He highlighted the growing belief within the squad, pointing to recent results and performances as evidence of progress.
"The belief is in the squad. I think you've seen it over the past couple of months, the results that we've put in, the performances that we've been putting in, and obviously we've been giving the gaffer a big headache on team selection, so we're in a great place. We've obviously got to stay humble and be really driven, which I know we are, but we've just got to keep on pushing each other and applying ourselves to the maximum from training and in games." Beyond the immediate title chase, Tavernier's comments also hint at a broader vision for his future at the club. While he remains open to the idea of a new deal, he emphasises that any decision will be taken after the season concludes, once the pressure of the title race has eased.
This pragmatic stance reflects his desire to keep his family life balanced and to avoid letting contract speculation distract from the collective goal of winning the league. In summary, James Tavernier is keeping his options open regarding a new Rangers contract, but his priority is crystal clear: help the club finish the season strongly and capture the Scottish Premiership crown. With the title race tighter than ever and the squad showing renewed confidence under Danny Röhl, the next few weeks will be decisive for both the team and the captain's own future plans.