Jack Butland is set to be named the new Rangers captain for the 2024/25 season, according to the Daily Record.
The newspaper reported via its online edition on 25 June that Phillipe Clement has already told his first-choice goalkeeper that he will be taking over James Tavernier’s captaincy.
The former Stoke City man only joined the Gers last summer but has made a lasting impact on the team and has “impressed” Clement over the campaign, the Daily Record added.
The record said that Clement’s decision is the clearest indicator yet that long-serving full-back Tavernier, 32, will leave the club this summer.
What does Jack Butland becoming Rangers captain mean for the club
Although Rangers fans would likely prefer Tavernier to stay with the club this summer and remain as their captain, making the popular Butland his successor if he does move on is a wise move.
However, as the Saudi Pro League, namely Steven Gerrard’s Al-Ettifaq, have started to call [The Gallant Few Podcast, 19 June], there’s little the Glasgow-based outfit can do to retain Tavernier.
Butland has enjoyed a real career resurgence at Rangers this season and was even in contention for an England recall.
He picked up nine England caps between 2012-2018 and was widely regarded as one of the best keepers in the Premier League at one point.
However, after a few seasons where his form dipped massively, Butland endured a difficult spell and was filling a quota of English players on loan at Manchester United last season before the move to Rangers came about.
His move to Rangers turned out to be so good that a move back north of the border has often been mooted with a fee in the region of £10million suggested by Chris Jack (4 June] in order to acquire his services.
However, it now seems as if the goalkeeper is set to stay in Scotland and try dethrone Rangers’ arch-rivals Celtic and win the Scottish Premiership next season.
