Philippe Clement has suggested that “finances” are the main hold up between Rangers agreeing a new contract with midfielder John Lundstram.
The Rangers manager also pointed to comments about the club’s “crazy” policy of letting contracts run down by claiming the player is free to discuss terms elsewhere.
Rangers signed John Lundstram on a free contract following the expiration of his deal at Sheffield United back in 2021 and he is now in the final six months of that deal.
The move made Lundstram, now 29, one of the Ibrox club’s top-earners and there has been much debate as to whether or not the some £22k per week, or £1.15m per year, is worth a renewal.
Philippe Clement talks John Lundstram contract
Speaking after the 4-1 Scottish Cup victory away to Dumbarton, Philippe Clement talking after another impressive John Lundstram, who opened the scoring in the match.
Asked if the midfielder was one of the players currently in negotiations over a new contract, the Rangers manager had the following to say.
”Yeah that’s a financial thing between him and the club,” said Clement. “Both parties show interest to do that, that’s clear.
“So we are going to see in the next couple of weeks, months. He’s in a situation that he can sign somewhere else.
“It’s clearly that he feels good in the club and in the way of working and everybody tells me also that he’s showing better level than he had in the beginning of the season.
“That’s what I want to see that he continues like that then I think there will be a solution between the two parties at the end of the road.
Asked if he’s told John Lundstram he wants him at Rangers, Clement said: “I talk with my players every day so it’s clear what my mind is about that.”
Rangers midfielder has made commitment clear
John Lundstram has previously claimed that he’d “love to stay” at Rangers but that “it’s obviously between me and the club to sort something out”.
At his swashbuckling best, John Lundstram is an aggressive ball-winning midfielder who can drive between both boxes and both break up and springboard attacks.
The midfielder has been a near ever-present presence since Philippe Clement came to the club and it’s clear Lundstram is highly valued by the management team.
The onus is then on Rangers to strike a suitable financial deal which both supplements Lundstram’s demands and offers value to the team.
Much of that could depend on the midfielder’s contribution this season, with the lack a Scottish Premiership winner’s medal around Lunny’s neck really the thing which divides fan opinion.
For us, the situation is simple given the costs associated with trying to sign a suitable replacement.
But it’s also on John Lundstram to prove his worth to the team for the rest of the season with fans potentially looking to other options if yet another league-title evades the high-earner.
In total, John Lundstram has made 30 appearances for Rangers this season and 130 in total for the Ibrox club.
The crowning moment for Lundstram so far at Rangers was that goal against RB Leipzig which sent the club to the Europa League Final in Seville.
