Rangers: John Lundstram speculation ended amid contract talks and Ibrox exit interest
John Lundstram is set to extend his Rangers contract after Philippe Clement revealed there “will be a solution” to talks between the midfielder and the club.
The Ibrox boss confirmed his “total” confidence in the Englishman signing a new deal, with his current terms set to expire in the summer and Trabzonspor having been linked to a deal for him alongside exit-bound Borna Barisic [Akdeniz Gercek, 27 March].
Negotiations between Lundstram and the Light Blues have been in progress for some two months [Daily Record, 20 January] and the length of time they were taken was beginning to become a source of concern, despite the 30-year-old already being highly attached to the club.
But worry looks to be unfounded as Clement issued a seemingly decisive update on the situation, with a positive outcome now on the cards.
He said, as per Planet Radio (29 March): “Yes, I am totally confident about that, that there’s a lot of love from both sides, so that there will be a solution.”
Philippe Clement set to retain key Rangers midfielder
Everything pointed to Lundstram extending his stay in Glasgow since the former Sheffield United man, his manager, and seemingly the club all wanted it to happen.
With the club still fighting on multiple fronts amid near-constant injury crises it may be that the contract talks have simply not been a priority, but for Clement and the midfielder to both previously comment on it publicly certainly indicated that attempts were being made to wrap it up.
The Belgian has now been definitive so an official announcement is presumably not far off, barring a shock turn of events that would indicate something had gone badly wrong.
Ryan Jack is probably leaving, and there may be new arrivals in the centre of the park this summer, but despite the arrival of Mohamed Diomande in January it is Lundstram who appears to be the lynchpin for Clement in the midfield.
Losing him would have been a blow that looked very unnecessary so the manager’s update will come as a welcome one for fans, who will now be awaiting a photo of the Englishman signing his new deal.
In other Rangers news, a star man is “keen” to make a major switch after being subject of an international approach.
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