According to a recent report by The Athletic (Paid Subscription Required), Premiership giants Rangers are said to be among a trio of clubs currently maintaining an interest in acquiring the services of Sheffield United midfielder John Lundstram.
The report suggests that the Ibrox club are following the Englishman’s situation closely and that they face competition from within the Premier League for his valued signature. Burnley and West Ham United are the two sides attempting to ensure that this season’s Premier League revelation stays in the division for the upcoming campaign.
Although the report claims that Rangers are interested in Sheffield United’s John Lundstram, whether or not the Blades will end up selling him is a whole other matter. A contract has reportedly been on the table for the midfielder to sign for quite a while now, but with just a year left on his contract, it’s understandable that Chris Wilder doesn’t want to run the risk of losing him on a free transfer next season. While the decision could come down to whether or not they’re able to acquire John Swift from Reading, it’s worth considering that there is still no clarity surrounding what price they expect for his signature.
What Is Rangers’ Current Midfield Situation?
The Ibrox club haven’t had the shortage of signings so far this summer, but the worrying part about their situation is the fact that they have failed to strengthen in the midfield area. The arrivals of Jon McLaughlin and Leon Balogun have helped shore things up at the back, while the acquisitions of Cedric Itten and Kemar Roofe have been made to address the lack of a killer touch in the attack in Alfredo Morelos’ absence. Despite their strong start to the new season, it must be conceded that Steven Gerrard’s team could do with a couple of more midfield options.
Joe Aribo has been a revelation since the start of the campaign, while Ryan Jack behind him has been as secure as ever too. Glen Kamara has been preferred as the third midfielder by the manager, but it’s worth considering that the Finnish ace is yet to impress drastically in the core of the team. Scott Arfield and Steven Davis form the Bears’ alternate midfield options, and that should be perceived as a worrying sign by Gerrard. With both Arfield and Davis now over the age of thirty, depending on them regularly in the case of a first-team injury would be like asking for trouble.
What Makes John Lundstram A Good Target For Rangers?
The Englishman, like the rest of the Sheffield United team, turned out to be one of the biggest surprise packages of last season. Despite being deployed in the midfield area, the 26-year-old pitched in with multiple important contributions in the early parts of the campaign. Lundstram finished the season having missed just two games in total and his record of five goals and three assists was a quite commendable return too. A capable carrier of the ball, the former Everton man could end up being a long-term servant for the Ibrox club if everything goes to plan.
Rangers Are Interested In Sheffield United’s John Lundstram: Should Gerrard Sign Him?
Irrespective of whether or not they acquire any more players this summer, one thing that’s for sure is that Steven Gerrard will be hoping to push Celtic for the title all the way this term. If there was one aspect within the squad where their Old Firm rivals have a better roster, then it’s in midfield. With the question marks surrounding the Englishman’s immediate future at Bramall Lame, Rangers will be tempted to try and make a move, and if they can get a deal over the line in the coming weeks, it would have to be considered quite the coup by Gerrard.