Rangers struck gold on free transfer who’s now become a “cult hero”

When Rangers signed him in 2021, they struck gold with this midfielder. Tuesday night, Glasgow Rangers defeated Aberdeen in the Premiership, displaying true grit and determination.

With twenty minutes remaining and the scores tied at 1, the Ibrox supporters were starting to become nervous. Under previous managers, the Gers would not have been able to deliver the decisive blow.

But Philippe Clement is no ordinary manager, and the team spirit was on display when Todd Cantwell scored a goal off a rebound past the Dons keeper, and they went on to secure a crucial 2-1 victory.

The first team is well aware of what it will take to win this season, and they are building momentum ahead of what could be a demanding few months.

It’s amazing that this is the same team that finished seventh points behind Celtic and lost three of their first seven league matches, seemingly ending any chance of winning the championship.

John Lundstram‘s performances have been instrumental in this turnaround, and the senior professionals have led the way. It is evident that the Light Blues have struck gold with this midfielder.

The value of John Lundstram at Sheffield United

The player, who was born in Liverpool, spent four seasons (and maybe the most productive period of his career) with Sheffield United, where he made 120 appearances.

Potential suitors started to take notice of him thanks to his performances for the Blades during their 12-year absence from the Premier League.

Lundstram demonstrated a variety of skills as he helped the Blades secure an incredible ninth place finish in the 2019–20 season. Among his teammates at Bramall Lane, he ranked second for goals and assists (eight) in the top flight, as well as second for big chances created (eight), eighth for tackles (1.4), and sixth for interceptions (one) per game.

Even though the team experienced second season syndrome and was demoted back to the Championship, Lundstram was still regarded as one of their most valuable assets going into his last half-year with the team, with a Football Transfers value of €8.5m (£7.2m).

How much John Lundstram was signed by the Rangers

The former Everton player allowed his Sheffield United contract to expire and joined the Gers on a free transfer in the summer of 2021. It appeared to be a huge coup for the Light Blues.

“I’ve known John as a player for a while, and I knew he would improve our team.” When Lundstram was announced as a Rangers player, Steven Gerrard beamingly said that he wanted to take the team to the next level.

Even though Lundstram may not have had the same market value as he did when he was in the Premier League, he is still valued fairly, especially considering that he was free of charge for the Ibrox team almost three years ago.

Today’s market value of John Lundstram

The Englishman is currently valued at €2.8m (£2.4m) by Football Transfers as of this writing, which is a reasonable valuation considering he will turn 30 this month.

As the 29-year-old approaches the last few months of his current Gers contract, it is unclear if Clement will extend his terms.

It makes perfect sense to give him another two years at the club, based on his performances since the former Club Brugge boss arrived last October, as he has become one of the first names on the team sheet this season.

The reasons behind John Lundstram’s high value

Since walking through the Ibrox doors in 2021, a few months after the club had won their 55th league title, Lundstram has experienced many highs and lows.

The physical demands of Scottish football proved to be too much for him to handle during his first few months on the continent, but he excelled there, especially during the team’s 2022 run to the Europa League final.

The former Blades star gave the Light Blues a three-goal lead in what was possibly their best European display in years against Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of the knockout playoff round.

If beating RB Leipzig in the 80th minute of the second leg of the semi-final to guarantee the Gers’ spot in their first European final in 14 years didn’t win him over the supporters, Lundstram was a rock all throughout the tournament.

Before the final in Seville, Ally McCoist, a former Gers legend, even praised him, calling him a “cult hero.” Although he was unable to lead Glasgow to victory against Eintracht Frankfurt, his stature had increased significantly.

The midfielder helped Rangers win five league goals last season, but his play declined as they failed to win a trophy for the first time since 2020.

Under Clement, the 5′ 11″ maestro has bounced back. Since October, he has missed just one game in all competitions. This remarkable consistency has allowed the Ibrox team to go on an incredible run, with just one loss in his first 24 games.

Lundstram is currently the team’s highest-ranked player

Due to his versatility as a defensive and attacking midfielder, Lundstram is currently the team’s highest-ranked player in terms of accurate passes made per game in the top flight (63.6). He also ranks third for big chances created (three), second for accurate long balls per game (5.4), and third for tackles made per game (1.7).

After overcoming a deficit to Celtic, the Light Blues are now very much in the running for the title. Lundstram has been the mainstay of the midfield and deserves an extension to his current contract.

The previous few months have demonstrated that the club has struck gold with the former Premier League dynamo. Although he had some difficult times during his time in Scotland, they have undoubtedly enabled him to bounce back and rekindle his performances.

Lundstram can still contribute to this Rangers team for the next year or two, no question about it, even though he is getting close to thirty.

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