Rangers transfer twist as 30-year-old to defy 'expectations' with three-year-deal - reports
02/05/2024 10:15
John Lundstram's Rangers future is certainly a cause of great debate in Ibrox circles.
If not sizeable disagreement.
The Scouse midfielder has been a near-ever present in the Ibrox midfield since joining from Sheffield United but his time in Glasgow has been mixed to say the least.
At times John Lundstram has been 'the best on Earth' to the Rangers support, whilst in other moments the now 30-year-old has been an expensively overblown option.
The former Everton youth – who was in the Goodison Park academy set-up during the reign of Walter Smith – has almost certainly not been helped by our domestic form over the last three seasons.
Joining the Scottish champions, the Premiership crown was let slip on Lundstram's midfield watch and is yet to return to its rightful home at Rangers.
No matter the contribution in Europe, or in big moments domestically, that's sacrilegious to some if not most of an Ibrox persuasion.
It's led to much debate over John Lundstram's future and whilst Philippe Clement has been pretty clear about Rangers' intentions, transfer reports over the last week or so have muddied the waters.
Clement 'expects' Lundstram Rangers contract
John Lundstram is out of contract in the summer and until his future is settled at Rangers, or anywhere else, speculation will continue.
But whilst manager Philippe Clement has been probed on the future of his midfield stalwart, the Belgian a huge fan of Lunny and his contribution, it's clear the ex-Monaco boss wants continuity.
"There have not been any more talks now," Philippe Clement told a Scottish Sun reporter in mid-April. "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 doubt about his commitment. He loves this club. He is full of passion for this club about everything.
"You see that in every reaction in training, in the dressing room before the game, during the game and after the game.
"You can still go full for the target you have. John is doing that every day, no doubt about that."
Throw into the mix John Lundstram telling Scouse UFC fighter Paddy Pimblett in October 2022 that he wants to 'end his career' at Rangers and surely it's a question of when, not if, the midfielder signs a new contract.
Right?
Well, apparently not.
Trabzonspor 'confident' of securing Ibrox star
The latest news surrounding Rangers left-back Borna Barisic has generated an interesting subplot surrounding John Lundstram.
The Croatian left-back looks bound for Turkey and Trabzonspor come the end of the season, the 31-year-old's six year stint in Glasgow coming to an end when his current contract expires in the summer.
There are few at Ibrox who are wrestling with this news and according to the Super Lig side's chairman, deals are on the verge of being completed ahead of the summer.
As part of this, a move for the defender certainly hasn't been ruled out.
But in what would be a quite remarkable climb down from Rangers manager Philippe Clement insisting he 'expects' John Lundstram's Ibrox love affair to be extended, Turkey apparently beckons.
Yagiz Sabuncuoglu is one of the country's more reputable journalists and claimed last week that John Lundstram has already agreed a move to Trabzonspor.
The Daily Record have also just published an article claiming that the Turkish side are 'confident' of signing Lundstram in the summer, having offered him a three-year deal.
It's all very confusing.
John Lundstram certainly doesn't strike as the kind of character who wants to bow out on a negative and we're sure he's copped plenty of criticism throughout his career.
Whilst it's still all to play for this season, it'll take a grandstand finish to walk out the door with a treble.
Rangers is a big mental hurdle but there's just something inconsistent about the idea he'd turn from Ibrox maverick to Turkish mercenary at the flick of a switch.
For those robust British midfield types legacy stereotypically supersedes financial incentive and we hear a lot about elements of Lundstram's game being a throwback to a bygone era.
But with the midfielder's chance at a final payday upon him, and the criticism from Rangers fans likely to ramp up should another title slip from the team's grasp, it very much looks like our albeit inconsistent midfield enforcer could genuinely be about to turn heel.
