Cost £0, now worth £2.4m: Rangers struck gold on 5ft11 “cult hero” signed by Gerrard – opinion

Cost £0, now worth £2.4m: Rangers struck gold on 5ft11 “cult hero” signed by Gerrard – opinion

Glasgow Rangers demonstrated great grit and drive as they defeated Aberdeen in the Premiership on Tuesday evening.

With the scores knotted at 1-1 with only 20 minutes remaining, the Ibrox faithful were becoming restless,

and under former managers, the Gers would have failed to deliver the decisive blow.

Philippe Clement is no ordinary manager, yet the team spirit among the squad was clear as

Todd Cantwell struck a rebounding shot past the Dons keeper, and they eventually saw out a crucial 2-1 victory.

Every member of the first team understands what it takes to succeed this season,

and momentum is definitely building ahead of what could be a frantic few months.

It’s surprising that this is the same bunch of players who lost three of their first seven league games and were seven points behind Celtic,

with aspirations of a title chase all but over.

The senior pros have led the way to this comeback, and John Lundstram’s performances have been critical to the turnaround;

it is evident that the Light Blues have struck gold in the midfielder.

How much was John Lundstram worth at Sheffield United?

The Liverpool-born player had one of the more successful spells of his pre-Rangers career at Sheffield United,

making 120 games over four seasons.

His efforts for the Blades after their return to the Premier League after a 12-year hiatus started to intrigue possible suitors.

Throughout the 2019/20 season, Lundstram ranked second among his teammates at Bramall Lane in the top flight for goals and

assists (eight), as well as second for big chances created (eight), eighth for tackles (1.4), and sixth for interceptions (one) per game,

demonstrating a wide range of abilities as he helped the Blades finish in a stunning ninth place.

John Lundstram in the Premier League	2019/20	2020/21
Goals	5	0
Assists	3	2
Accurate passes per game	28.6	30
Big chances created	8	1
Tackles per game	1.4	0.9
Via sportviewers

The club suffered from second season syndrome and was relegated back to the Championship,

but Lundstram was valued at €8.5 million (£7.2 million) by Football Transfers as he entered his final six months with the club,

establishing himself as one of their most valuable assets.

How much Rangers signed John Lundstram for?

The former Everton prodigy joined the Gers on a free transfer in the summer of 2021 after his contract with Sheffield United expired,

and it appeared to be a major coup for the Light Blues.

“John is a player I have known for some time and knew he would enhance our squad.”

Steven Gerrard beams as he announces Lundstram as a Rangers player, hoping to propel the team to the next level.

While his market worth has not approached the levels he achieved in the Premier League,

Lundstram still commands a fair price, especially since he did not cost the Ibrox club anything over three years ago.

John Lundstram’s market value today

According to Football Transfers, the Englishman is presently worth €2.8 million (£2.4 million) at the time of writing,

which is a reasonable estimate given that he will turn 30 this month.

The 29-year-old is nearing the conclusion of his contract with the Gers, and it’s unclear whether Clement would grant him an extension.

Judging by his performances since the former Club Brugge manager joined last October,

it makes perfect sense to offer him another two years at the club. He has emerged as one of the first names on the team sheet this season.

Why John Lundstram is worth so much.

Since his arrival at Ibrox in 2021, two months after the club won its 55th league title,

Lundstram has experienced many ups and downs.

His first several months were difficult as he battled to adapt to the physical style of Scottish football,

but it was on the continent that he delivered his best performances, particularly in the run-up to the Europa League final in 2022.

The former Blades star scored against Borussia Dortmund in the opening leg of the elimination playoff round,

putting the Light Blues three goals ahead in perhaps their best European performance in years.

If that didn’t endear him to the fans, stroking home a winner in the 80th minute against RB Leipzig in

the second leg of the semi-final to earn the Gers’ first European final appearance in 14 years did,

and Lundstram remained a rock throughout the competition.

Indeed, former Gers icon Ally McCoist praised him prior to the final in Seville, calling him a “cult hero,”

and while he couldn’t lead Glasgow to victory over Eintracht Frankfurt, his standing had grown significantly.

Last season, the midfielder scored five league goals for Rangers, but his performances slipped as the team went trophyless for the first time since 2020.

The 5 foot 11 maestro has recovered under Clement, missing just one match across all competitions since October,

demonstrating an incredible level of consistency that has allowed

the Ibrox side to embark on a fantastic run of only one defeat in his first 24 games.

Lundstram is currently the squad’s highest-ranked midfielder in terms of accurate passes per game in the top flight (63.6),

as well as third in terms of big chances created (three), second in terms of accurate long balls per game (5.4),

and third in terms of tackles per game (1.7), demonstrating his abilities on both the defensive and attacking sides.

With the Light Blues back in the title fight after recouping their deficit to Celtic,

Lundstram has been the glue that has held the midfield together, and he should be offered a contract extension.

The club has certainly found gold with the former Premier League powerhouse,

and while he has had some difficult moments during his time in Scotland,

they have clearly allowed him to return and rejuvenate his performances, as evidenced by his recent brilliance.

Lundstram may be approaching 30, but there is little doubt that he can still contribute to this Rangers team for the next year or two.

Get more related news on https://sportviewers.com