According to the latest reports from the Scottish Sun, Aston Villa are prepared to spend big to land Rangers captain James Tavernier. Dean Smith could step up his pursuit to sign the right-back as Villa are keen to bolster their squad after winning promotion to the Premier League.
Villa can offer Tavernier a considerable wage increase and that could be enough to lure the Gers right back to Villa Park. Rangers manager Steven Gerrard has already admitted that he could end up losing his captain if prospective clubs come up with a substantial offer.
Gerrard had recently commented on Tavernier’s future and said, ”There have been calls about Tav with clubs interested. I am sure there still is. The reality is, and I probably shouldn’t be saying this, but every player has his price.”
With Villa set to spend big, Rangers are likely to find it hard to keep hold of the former Newcastle United player. Tavernier played a whopping 57 games for his side last season where he managed to score 17 goals and provided with 20 assists playing as the right back. Most of his goals came from the spot as the Englishman is the designated penalty taker for his side.
Is he good enough for the Premier League?
That is the biggest question on every Villa fan’s mind. Tavernier’s attacking returns are more than impressive, but he will be tested defensively in the Premier League. The Gers usually tend to dominate most of their games in the Premiership and Tavernier is often found high up the pitch as he whips in delicious crosses. However, he is known for his defensive vulnerability, and he has been behind some errors in the past which have cost his team.
How much should Villa look to spend?
Villa are likely to play most of their games without possession, and we would believe that Dean Smith should not go all out to sign Tavernier. If the 27-year-old fullback comes within the price range of £5-6m, then he could be considered as a good signing. But they shouldn’t look to pay more than that for him.
Tavernier has impressive strength, work rate and pace which would help him in the English top flight but we feel that he would be found out defensively playing for a side like Villa. The gulf between the Premiership and Premier League is immense, and that is the reason why he made just ten appearances for Newcastle United at the start of his career before he was shipped away to the lower divisions.
