Glasgow Rangers displayed signs of true grit and determination as they defeated Aberdeen in the Premiership on Tuesday evening.
With the scores tied at 1-1 with just 20 minutes left, the Ibrox faithful were beginning to get uneasy and under previous managers, the Gers would have failed to strike the killer blow.
Philippe Clement is no ordinary manager, however, and the team spirit among the squad was evident as Todd Cantwell netted a rebounded shot past the Dons keeper, and they eventually saw out a vital 2-1 victory.
Every member of the first team knows exactly what is required to succeed this season and the momentum is clearly building ahead of what could be a hectic few months.
It is remarkable that this is the same group of players who lost three of their opening seven league ties and sat seven points adrift of Celtic, with hopes of a title chase all but finished.
The senior professionals have led the way to this revival and the performances of John Lundstram have been crucial to this turnaround, and it is clear the Light Blues have hit the jackpot on 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.
Throughout that 2019/20 campaign, Lundstram ranked second among his teammates at Bramall Lane for goals and assists (eight) in the top flight, along with ranking second for big chances created (eight), eighth for tackles (1.4) and sixth for interceptions (one) per game, showcasing a multitude of talents as he helped the Blades secure a stunning ninth place finish.
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
The club suffered second season syndrome and were relegated back to the Championship, yet Lundstram was valued at €8.5m (£7.2m) according to Football Transfers heading into his final six months of his stay with the club, establishing himself as one of their prized assets.
How much Rangers signed John Lundstram for
The former Everton youngster joined the Gers on a free transfer during the summer of 2021 as he let his contract at Sheffield United expire, and 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.” Beamed Steven Gerrard upon announcing Lundstram as a Rangers player as he looked to take the club to the next level.
While his market value may not have reached the levels that he hit during his spell in the Premier League, Lundstram still has a decent valuation, especially for someone who did not cost the Ibrox side a penny nearly 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.
If this didn’t endear him to the supporters, then stroking home a winner in the 80th minute against RB Leipzig in the second leg of the semi-final to ensure the Gers secured their place in their first European final in 14 years did, and Lundstram was a rock throughout the competition.
Indeed, even former Gers icon Ally McCoist lauded him prior to the final in Seville, dubbing him a “cult hero” and while he couldn’t inspire the Glasgow side to victory against Eintracht Frankfurt, his stock had risen considerably.
Last season saw the midfielder score five league goals for Rangers, yet his performances dipped off as they went trophyless for the first time since 2020.
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 very much in a title race now thanks to clawing back the deficit to Celtic, Lundstram has been the glue which has held the midfield together, and he should be offered an extension to his current deal.
The club have clearly struck gold on the former Premier League dynamo and while he has endured some tough parts in his spell in Scotland, they have clearly allowed him to come back and reinvigorate his performances and this has been on show over the previous few months.
He may be approaching 30, but Lundstram can still offer something to this Rangers side for the next year or two, absolutely no doubt about that.