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

Rangers struck gold with a midfielder that they signed in 2021.

Glasgow Rangers overcame Aberdeen in the Premiership on Tuesday evening, demonstrating true grit and drive.

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’s team spirit shined through as Todd Cantwell scored a rebounding shot past the Dons keeper, resulting in 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 group of players that lost three of their opening seven league ties 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 John Lundstram was worth at Sheffield United

The Liverpool-born player enjoyed perhaps the most successful stint of his pre-Rangers career at Sheffield United, making 120 appearances for the club during a four-season spell.

It was his performances for the Blades during their return to the Premier League following a 12-year absence that really began to attract potential suitors.

During the 2019/20 season, Lundstram led the Blades to a ninth-place finish by ranking second in goals and assists (eight), second in big chances created (eight), eighth in tackles (1.4), and sixth in interceptions (one).

Despite the club’s relegation to the Championship due to second season syndrome, Lundstram was valued at €8.5 million (£7.2 million) by Football Transfers in his final six months with the club, making him a valuable asset.

How much Rangers signed John Lundstram for

The former Everton youth joined the Gers on a free transfer during the summer of 2021 as his contract with Sheffield United expired. It looked like quite the coup for the Light Blues.

“John is a player I have known for some time and knew he would enhance our squad.”Steven Gerrard congratulated Lundstram on joining Rangers, expressing his desire to elevate the club to new heights.

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 now

At the time of writing, the Englishman is currently valued at €2.8m (£2.4m) according to Football Transfers and, given he is about to turn 30 this month, it is a solid valuation.

The 29-year-old has entered into the final few months of his contract at the Gers, and it remains to be seen whether Clement will offer him an extended deal.

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

Why John Lundstram is worth that much

Lundstram has enjoyed plenty of peaks and troughs since arriving through the Ibrox doors in 2021, just months after the club had secured their 55th league title.

His first few months were not easy as he struggled to cope with the physical nature of Scottish football, but it was on the continent where he enjoyed his best performances, particularly in the run to the Europa League final in 2022.

The former Blades gem scored against Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of the knockout playoff round to put the Light Blues three goals up in what was arguably their finest European performance in years.

Lundstram’s goal in the second leg of the semi-final against RB Leipzig in the 80th minute sealed the Gers’ position in their first European final in 14 years, adding to his popularity among supporters.

Prior to the final in Seville, former Gers icon Ally McCoist praised him as a “cult hero.” Despite failing to inspire the Glasgow team to win against Eintracht Frankfurt, his reputation had increased significantly.

Rangers went without a trophy for the first time since 2020, despite the midfielder’s five league goals from last season.

The 5 foot 11 maestro has rebounded under Clement and, since October, he has missed just one match across all competitions, showing an impressive degree of consistency that has enabled the Ibrox side to go on a wonderful run of just one defeat in his opening 24 matches.

Lundstram is currently the highest-ranked midfielder in the squad for accurate passes per game in the top flight (63.6), while also ranking third for big chances created (three), second for accurate long balls per game (5.4) and third for tackles per game (1.7), demonstrating his skills across both defensive and attacking metrics.

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.