John Lundstram, who is not under contract, has undoubtedly had a fantastic season with the Rangers.
Lifting only his second piece of silverware in three seasons at Hampden back in December, it’s a trophy haul which we know the Scouser would love to remedy.
Lundstram was also included in the PFA Premiership team of the year, with his early performances under Philippe Clement receiving praise from his colleagues.
But the midfielder’s future at Rangers is also in doubt, as another Scottish Premiership campaign appears likely – the team may argue otherwise, but as things stand, it is a long shot.
Rangers are interested in signing 30-year-old John Lundstram to a new contract, as Philippe Clement has previously stated.
The midfield player has expressed his love for Rangers in public as well.
Should the Ibrox side be seriously considering a new deal, though, given that recent soundbites from the Ibrox manager seem to indicate that negotiations are inevitable?
Regarding John Lundstram, Philippe Clement
Prior to this weekend’s Scottish Cup semifinal matchup with Hearts, Philippe Clement announced that talks to extend John Lundstram’s contract with Rangers would take place.
Stopping short of confirming negotiations were underway, it comes against the backdrop of criticism for the midfielder’s perceived downturn in form.
However, Clement has unequivocally stated that Rangers and John will begin speaking.
As reported by the Scottish Sun, Clement stated, “At this point, there have been no further discussions.” “For the moment, there will be in the future.
“I know both sides love each other so I expect a solution at the end.
“With John, I don’t have many hairs on my head, but there are none that has a doubts about his commitment. He adores this group. He is full of passion for this club about everything.
“Every response during practice, in the locker room prior to the game, during the game, and following the game demonstrates that.
“You can still aim straight for your goal. John is doing that every day, no doubt about that.”
Cons of new John Lundstram contract
Alright, let’s start with the unfavorable aspects of John Lundstram’s new Rangers contract.
There’s been plenty of conversation around the midfielder heading into the final few weeks of the season and it’s clear that a deal is in the pipeline.
But that doesn’t mean Rangers fans don’t have gripes with the ex-Sheffield United star.
Quality control
This is the big one.
John Lundstram is a good player and at times has shown himself to be a quality player.
But there have been too many blips and bad patches in the Rangers star’s career, stretching all the way back to when he first signed for the club. Alashkert, anyone?
If Rangers had won enough under his watch from midfield then this could be passed off. After all, effective 50-game a season midfielders don’t grow on trees.
Lunny showed his quality on the big stage in the run to the Europa League Final but that aggressive, box-to-box, midfield lynchpin has been found wanting too often against in big matches domestically.
If Rangers are going to topple their Old Firm rivals then could Philippe Clement use Lundstram’s wages elsewhere to upgrade this crucial area of the park?
Bumper salary
Leading on from the quality argument, John Lundstram is also picking up a healthy packet from Rangers.
Signed on a pre-contract from then Premier League Sheffield United, Rangers reportedly held off the likes of West Ham to get Lundstram to sign a deal.
If reports are to be believed the midfielder is earning around £22k per week and given this might be the final bumper contract of his career, we’d expect Lundstram’s demands to be even higher this time around.
We’re talking around £30k per week for a player who has spent three years inconsistently battling to halt Celtic’s dominance.
But do the player’s stats for this season suggest it’s a fee worth paying?
| John Lundstram Scottish Premiership 23/24 | |
| Appearances | 31 |
| Goals | 0 |
| Assists | 4 |
| FotMob rating | 7.59 |
| Pass accuracy | 88.6% |
| Recoveries | 203 |
| Chances created | 44 |
| Duels won/percentage | 118/51.5% |
Mentality scolds
John Lundstram is also often criticized for seeming to lack a big-game, championship-winning mindset.
Rangers supporters are skeptical that the midfield player will be able to rise to the occasion mentally, but these doubts are not limited to Lundstram.
On multiple occasions, the entire Rangers team, and the leadership group in particular, has been accused of underperforming when it counts.
Even though a stunning comeback in the league might deter these criticism, Lundstram will still have a lot to prove to his fans in the absence of a domestic cup double.
Benefits of the midfielder’s new Rangers contract
For a more optimistic conclusion, let’s look at the benefits of a new contract for the midfielder, who, like it or not, will probably be playing for Rangers the following season.
Even though John Lundstram has occasionally exposed himself to criticism during his Rangers career with subpar performances, he has had notable moments and redeeming traits.
We can see why Philippe Clement has such good things to say about John Lundstram, and the following are some advantages of a possible new Rangers contract:
Dedicatedness to the cause
Nobody can dispute John Lundstram’s dedication, even though some may question his abilities when it counts for the Rangers.
The former youth product of Everton has fully embraced the philosophy of Rangers and is among the select few players who has consistently risked his life for the team.
Having made an incredible 48 appearances across all competitions this season, it’s possible that physical exhaustion is more to blame for recent stumbles than mental exhaustion.
Rarely do players at the club talk so candidly about their commitment to the cause as this one does. He plays through injuries on a regular basis, never shirks his responsibility (even when playing poorly), and is vocal about his love for Rangers.
| John Lundstram stats all competitions (23/24 in brackets) | |
| Appearances | 148 (48) |
| Goals | 11 (2) |
| Assists | 8 (7) |
| Yellow cards | 22 (5) |
| Red cards | 1 (0) |
| Minutes | 11,431 (4022) |
seasoned campaigner
Whatever transpires at the end of the season, Rangers will probably experience a significant amount of change this summer.
Numerous players on Ibrox’s roster are out of contract, and costly loanees are also scheduled to return to their parent teams.
It means Philippe Clement will be busy this summer and with several veteran stars set to leave – Ryan Jack, Borna Barisic and Kemar Roofe amongst them – John Lundstram provides Ibrox experience.
John Lundstram has been over the hill with the club before, so he understands what it’s all about. A new contract would enable him to instill the club’s principles in everyone who enters.
Thus, the midfield player offers a vital degree of stability when others depart in a few months.
qualifications for leadership
In a team which has looked devoid of leadership at times, John Lundstram is one of the most passionate and vocal members of the Rangers team.
The aforementioned quotes by Philippe Clement made this suggestion.
Although Rangers supporters only see a small portion of what goes on behind closed doors at Ibrox, it is evident that John Lundstram is an important player for the team for a variety of reasons.
If Rangers are to succeed, they need strong leadership, and while Lundstram still has some explaining to do, his absence could have a significant impact.
particularly if people like James Tavernier are drawn to other opportunities.
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