Report: Aston Villa battle local rivals West Brom for Rangers defender James Tavernier

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Aston Villa have entered the race for James Tavernier. According to The Daily Mail, Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion will scrap it out for Rangers star Tavernier.

The Villans beat local rivals West Brom in the play-off final before winning promotion to the Premier League. And now they will battle the Baggies for Tavernier.

Dean Smith wants a new right-back to bolster his options for the Premier League, especially after Alan Hutton and Ritchie De Laet were released.

After missing out on Luton Town’s Leicester-bound James Justin, Aston Villa have turned their attention to Tavernier. The Rangers captain could be set to return to England this summer.

Tavernier has caught the eye this season, skippering Steven Gerrard’s men to second place and scoring a remarkable 17 goals.

The jury is still out on his defensive work. But his tally of 17 goals and 20 assists highlights his attacking threat. This has prompted Aston Villa and West Brom to think about a summer move.

Aston Villa could offer Tavernier a route back to English football. The 27-year-old left the English game in 2015 and has since played nearly 200 games for the Gers.

Prior to his move to Ibrox, Tavernier played for Newcastle United and Wigan Athletic, as well as having several loan spells.