Why Rangers Duo James Tavernier And Rob Kiernan Are The Ones Who Preston Need
Championship club Preston North End are reportedly about to launch a double transfer raid on Rangers. Right-back James Taverner and centre-back Rob Kiernan are both suggested targets of manager Simon Grayson who wants to bring the pair to Deepdale over the summer.
Rangers manager Pedro Caixinha has stated that he wants to let go of 14 first team players this transfer window, though Clint Hill, Jon Toral, Emerson Hyndman, Phillipe Senderos and former Preston striker Joe Garner have already left the club.
Kiernan has already spent time in the north-west having played for Wigan Athletic and was apparently monitored by Preston way back in 2012 when playing on loan at Accrington Stanley. The defender joined Rangers in 2015 on a two-year contract and seems to be surplus to requirements now with new defenders signed already this window.
Tavernier has always been on Grayson’s radar as he is said to be a long-term admirer of the former Newcastle and Rotherham man, though it remains to be seen how keen Rangers are to let him go. Tavernier is still a fans’ favourite at Ibrox and so the feeling among supporters about his potential departure is rather different from that of the impending loss of Kiernan.
Both players would definitely add something to the Preston line-up; one which did very well for most of the last season and would be live outsiders to reach a play-off place in a competitive, but slightly lower quality Championship campaign next season. Newcastle and Brighton were above average for this league and their ascension leaves things wide open.
Further losses to the league are bound to happen; Sessegnon and Cairney of Fulham are Premier League-bound for starters, and an opportunity is there for clubs to excel. There’s no reason why that shouldn’t include Preston and with a few clever new signings, they could be right up there.
Preston were largely more solid than spectacular last season but to Grayson’s credit, he recognises this and perhaps sees Tavernier as the sort of swashbuckling full-back needed to give the attack something a little extra.
Tom Clarke and Paul Huntington’s stats look alright for central defenders but in the case of the latter in particular, the boss is looking for something new. Kiernan did not have a good season at Ibrox and is most certainly out of favour. But at 26 years of age has plenty more to offer and may yet be a rock in this division.