Emmanuel Fernandez wants ‘perfect send-off’ for Rangers captain James Tavernier

Emmanuel Fernandez believes winning the William Hill Premiership title would be the “perfect send-off” for outgoing Rangers captain James Tavernier.

The 34-year-old right-back announced on Wednesday he will depart the Govan outfit this summer after 11 years at the club.

Tavernier has scored 144 goals in 562 appearances for the Light Blues and led them to the Scottish title in 2021 and the 2022 Europa League final and he has also won the Scottish Cup and League Cup.

The Light Blues go into Sunday’s home game against Motherwell one point behind leaders Hearts who play Hibernian later that day while Celtic can go level with the Jambos on points with a win over Falkirk on Saturday as the title race hots up.

Centre-back Fernandez, 25, who signed from Peterborough last summer, said: “I feel like we all know what we need to do towards the end of the season.

“I feel like this would be the perfect send-off for him if we could lift the title.

“Although we’ve got to take one game at a time and make sure we win every game, I feel like this is something we’re all fighting for.

“And now hearing the news, I think it’s something we want to fight for even more.

“I feel like when you leave the club after 10, 11 years, the only way, or the best way to leave the club, is by lifting the title and bringing something to the fans and people remembering your legacy.”

Fernandez, the only Rangers player named in the PFA Scotland team of the year, admits the Gers squad were “shellshocked” when Tavernier informed them of his decision to move on.

He said: “It was a tough moment when he gave us the message.

“I think we were all a bit shellshocked. No one really spoke up after that.

“But we all congratulated him at the end and showed our love.

“It was a moment where we all know that now we’ve got to really kick on for the rest of the season and we’ve got to bring something back for him.

“From when I first came in, if there’s someone that I’ve had in my corner, it was Tav.

“He’s supported me in moments where I need support and even from when I began playing, he was someone pushing my corner for me to play.

“Whilst he’s on the pitch, you know what he gives and you know what he provides to the team — his leadership.

“It’s amazing and it’s something that we all need.

“When you have someone who’s been here for 10 or 11 years, experienced, that knows the league, that knows how it is to be a Ranger, you’re going to miss that a lot.

“But I feel like there’s a lot of characters that can step into his position and him leaving is a benefit for us in terms of the people that can fit into his shoes and understand the way to be able to act.“