Over the years, West Bromwich Albion will have seen a number of transfer deals fall through, but few may be as devastating as the club’s failure to recruit James Tavernier.
While he was making his way up the Rangers roster a few years back, the defender was most likely unknown to the game.
The full-back, though, has developed into one of Scotland’s and England’s top attacking defenders, and if things had gone according to plan, he might have been a Baggie.
West Brom saw a £3 million bid rejected for James Tavernier in 2018
In the summer of the 2018–19 season, West Brom was getting ready for life in the Championship following their Premier League relegation.
Under his leadership, the club’s board and manager, Darren Moore, made the decision to try to sign James Tavernier from the Rangers that summer.
The Scottish team turned down a £3 million offer for the defender, according to reports that summer from the Baggies.
Tavernier was a regular player for Steven Gerrard’s squad when he joined the Gers in 2015 from Wigan Athletic. He scored in the team’s season opener against Aberdeen.
According to a Sky Sports report at the time, Rangers would consider selling the player provided their valuation was satisfied. Although the exact amount of that appraisal was unknown, the Midlands team lost out on this opportunity, especially considering how well Tavernier has since performed for Rangers.
West Brom may now regret not pursing James Tavernier deal
As West Brom prepared for life in the Championship in 2018, it appeared that manager Darren Moore was eager to bolster his team’s defense.
The club had clearly identified James Tavernier, but for whatever reason, they decided not to press forward after this £3 million bid fell through.
Although the team would have had their own explanations, it appears like the club lost out on a great chance given that the Baggies haven’t had many exceptional right-backs in the past and that Tavernier has grown to be so important to Rangers.
At the top levels, Tavernier was comparatively unknown. He started his career at Newcastle United and went on to play on loan at Rotherham United and Wigan.
But Rangers chose to take a chance on the defender, and that was a wise decision for the team as much as the player.
Following previous financial difficulties, the Glasgow team was making their way back up the Scottish footballing pyramid when Tavernier made his debut for the team in the Scottish Championship, recording 10 goals and 18 assists. The right-back has continued to contribute at that impressive rate in each of his three seasons with the club.
| James Tavernier’s 2022/23 Scottish Premiership stats for Rangers | |
|---|---|
| Matches played | 38 |
| Minutes per game | 88 |
| Goals | 16 |
| Goal frequency | 210 mins |
| Shots per game | 2.2 |
| Assists | 9 |
| Big chances created | 13 |
| Key passes | 2.9 |
| Interceptions per game | 0.9 |
| Tackles per game | 2.0 |
| Average rating | 7.63 |
| Stats as per Sofascore.com | |
Erik Pieters, a defender for West Brom, has an uncertain future because his contract at The Hawthorns ends this summer.
In addition to the fact that Tavernier has already shattered the record for goals scored by a defender, these statistics will infuriate West Brom and their supporters endlessly since they will continuously consider the possibilities.
For whatever reason, West Brom decided against making a play for the defender at that particular moment. Regardless of the rationale behind their decision, it appears to have been a very foolish one, given Tavernier’s continued success with the Rangers.